INDIAN JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY

Vol-10 Number- 1 January 2025
Chief Editor: Vijay Kumar
Publisher: National Trust for Promotion of Knowledge, Lucknow
Mode of Publication: Online (e-Journal)

1. Prehistoric Exploration in the Kharagpur Hills of Bihar: A Preliminary Report

Author: Ravinder and Manoj Kumar Singh

Thisarticle by Ravinder (Departmentof Anthropology, University of Delhi) and ManojKumarSingh (Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi) is about the archaeological exploration which was conducted in the Kharagpur hills located in southern part of district Bihar to find clues related to our unwritten past. It led to the finding of 6 new Prehistoric sites namely Dubratari, Parsatari, Kumartari, Chormara, Gurmaha and Manjalitand in Kharagpur hills located in southern part of district Munger in Bihar. These sites have revealed evidence ranging from Acheulian to Blade tool types. Microlithic werfound from Gurmaha sites. A few broken pieces of Neolithic Ring Stone have also been found at the Manjalitand and Parsatari sites. This initial report demonstrates the richness of this region in terms of Prehistoric cultures.

2. Understanding settlement and abandonment of Ancestral sites: Oral tradition and Archaeology in Nagaland

Author: Dr. Aokumla Walling

This article by Dr. Aokumla Walling (Asst.Professor, Dept. History and Archaeology, Nagaland University, Kohima Campus) is about the Naga society has plenty of oral narratives on the movements of individuals and groups and settlement and abandonment of sites. The creation and abandonment of villages were cause by different reasons. It is important for researchers who are trying to reconstruct the ancient settlement of such societies to understand such events. Employing the available oral narratives from Naga society and incorporating these in archaeological researches is a new field of archaeology. This method is particularly useful in an area where such events are kept in public memory through social tradition like present day Nagaland. This paper summarises the works of Vikousa Nienu, TC Sharma and Tiatoshi Jamir including the author and gives the details of the following excavated sites namely Chungliyimti ,Kübok, Khusomi, Khezakeno, Phor, New Phor (Burakha), Lüratvü (Laruri) and Nokpu.

3. Coins of Panchal Kings Kept in Collection of Sanjai Agarwal, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh

Author: Vijay Kumar, Sanjai Agarwal & Nidhi Agarwal

This article by Agarwal is the Vijay Kumar (Chief Editor, Indian Journal of Archaeology), Sanjai Agarwal and Nidhi catalogue of 166 Panchal coins. It mainlyto second author SanjaiAgarwal of Bareilly. This cataloguehas70 types of coins of 34 kings and 11 anepigraphic coins. The chronology of all these kings has not been finally fixed therefore the list has been prepared in alphabetical order. This article gives the details of 3 types of the coins of Achyut,9 types of the coins of Agnimitra, 6 types of the coins of Bhanumitra, 3 types of the coins of Bhadraghosas, 5 types of the coins of Bhumimitra, 3 types of the coins of Chandramitra, 2 types of the coins of Damgupta, 2 types of the coins of Dhruvmitra, 1 type of the coin of Harigupta, 1 type of the coin of Maharaja Harigupta, 7 types of the coins of Indramitra, 1 type of the coin of Jaygupta, 1 type of the coin of Jaymitra,1 types of the coins of Pagunimitra, 1 type of the coin of Prajapatimitra, 1 type of the coin of Prithvimitra, 1 type of the coin of Rajya Bhanumitra, 1 type of the coin of Rajya Bhanumitra, 1 type of the coin of Rajya Prathamagupta, 1 type of the coin of Rajya Rudragupta, 1 type of the coin of Rajya Vijaymitra, 1 type of the coin of Revatimitra, 1 type of the coin of Rudragupta, 1 type of the coin of Shiv Nandi Sri, 1 type of the coin of Shivmitra, 1 type of the coin of Shiv nandi Gupta, 2 types of the coins of Suryamitra, 1 type of the coin of Vagapalas, 1 type of the coin of Varunmitra, 1 type of the coin of Vasusena, 1 type of the coin of Viśvapāl, 2 types of the coins of Vijaymitra, 2 types of the coins of Vishnumitra, 3 types of the coins of Yagnabal and 1 type of the coin of Yaganmitra.

4. Brahmanical and Buddhist Traditions of Panchayatana-puja

Author: AmarSingh

This article by AmarSingh(Retired Professor, Dept. Of A.I.H. & Archaeology, University of Lucknow) is about the Pancayatana-puja is a kind of worship in which five principal deities are the objects of veneration. In such worship, though all the five gods are respectable but a favourite deity is given the central position and other four are placed around him. The concept of five Dhyani Buddhas mentioned in the Guhyasamaja Tantra or Tathagataguhyaka was known during the 3rd century A.D. when the text was composed. The date of the Panchayatana structure located at archaeological site Sarnath, which was most probably a Buddhist Stupa complex, is assignable to late 4rth or early 5th century A D. This suggests the early beginning of the Panchayatana-puja, may be prior to Gupta period in Buddhism. As far as Brahamanical tradition is concern, it is refered to in the Puranas of the Gupta period or in the later texts. The Vishnu temple at Deogarh in district Lalitpur, the earliest among the Brahamanical Panchayatana temples, belongs to early sixth century A.D. and provides the idea that the Pancayatana puja was in vogue during the Gupta period, long before the advent of Sankaracarya. In Brahamanism, as mentioned in Puranas : (I) five main gods representing their cults giving central place to any one favourite deity were worshipped; (II) the cult deity was installed in the main garbhagrha and the four corners were represented by various aspects of the same god, while Buddhist raised either Panchayatana Stupa and or Panchayatana Temple.

5. Past and Present: Architectural and Cultural Setting of Trilochan-Nath Mahadera Temple, Kathua District, Jammu and Kashmir

Author: Ankush Sharma, Dr. Ashwani Kumar, Shruti Gupta & Saba Parveen

This article by Ankush Sharma(Central University of Punjab, Department of History, Bathinda Punjab), Dr. Ashwani Kumar (Assistant Professor, Central University of Punjab, Department of History, Bathinda, Punjab), Shruti Gupta (University of Jammu, Department of Geography, Jammu and Kashmir) and Saba Parveen (Central University of Punjab, Department of History, Bathinda, Punjab) is about the Temples serve as enduring repositories of a region's traditions, culture, and architecture. They are instrumental in establishing a connection between the past and present. This study focuses on the Trilochan-Nath Mahadera Temple, situated in the Basohli region of the Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir. The paper aims to understand the architectural and cultural significance of the temple comprehensively. It will explore its cultural importance through its architectural features, the meaning of its carvings, and social gatherings held during festive occasions and religious feasts. The contribution of the temple in transmitting Indian cultural values and knowledge systems will also be highlighted. The goal of the current study is to demonstrate its role in binding the society and reveal its historical significance via the prism of “Continuity and Change”.

6. Two Mahishāsuramarddinī Sealings in theCollection of the Nalanda Archaeological Museum

Author: Prashant Srivastava

This article by Prashant Srivastava gives in-depth analysis of two interesting sealings, bearing the device of Mahishāsuramarddinī, in the collection of the Nalanda Archaeological Museum, Nalanda (Bihar), were published by Vijay Kumar and Alok Ranjan. The occurrence of the device of Mahishāsuramarddinī, on these two sealings from Nalanda, is significant, in that it testifies to the popularity of the Śākta cult in that region, over a period of several centuries, otherwise famous as a prominent centre of Buddhism. The first sealing, datable to the seventh century AD, on palaeographical grounds, has the figure of the four-armed devī, slaying the buffalo demon. The second sealing, datable to the ninth century AD, again on palaeographical grounds, depicts the figure of eight-armed Mahishāsuramarddinī.

7. The role of Meitei-Pangals in Shaping the History of Pre-Colonial Manipur

Author: S. Abrar

This article by S. Abrar (Research Scholar, Manipur University) is about the Meitei-Pangals (Manipuri Muslims) are Manipuri/Meiteilon language speakers after the Meitei community found in Manipur. There are about 2, 39, 886 Meitei-Pangals in Manipur and about 30000 in other Northeastern states. They are settled mostly in the valley of Manipur and have the historical settlement since 1606 but they were also recorded earlier. Since then they have been useful and helpful in the military expeditions of Manipur kingdom in the hills and outside the kingdom and from economy perspectives during and after Khagemba’s reign. When the Burmese invasion of Manipur took place in 1819, the royal family and population of the valley fled the kingdom and took refuge in Cachar and Sylhet and later Tripura. In this critical time Gambhir Singh, with the help of the Britishers formed the Manipur Levy in 1824 with 500 soldiers and later increased it to 2000 in later and stormed Tammu, Burma and completed the liberation of Manipur in February 1826 with the end of the 1st Anglo-Burmese War through the Treaty of Yandaboo.

8. The Struggle for Existence: Terracotta Artisans in Athmallik Block, District Angul, Odisha

Author: Dr. Bandita Biswal

This article by Dr. Bandita Biswal (Department of History, Birmaharajpur College, Birmaharajpur, Subarnapur Odisha) is about the field surveys in four villages of the Athmallik block of the Angul district reveal that artisans persist in creating terracotta items for local socio-religious purposes despite declining market support. The study categorizes these items into ritualistic, decorative, and utilitarian objects, displaying the versatility and cultural significance of the craft. However, the ongoing socio economic challenges threaten this traditional livelihood. However, economic hardships are a significant concern for these artisans, stemming from limited market access and declining demand for handmade pottery due to the rising popularity of modern alternatives like plastic and metal-ware. Financial constraints further restrict their ability to procure quality raw materials and tools, resulting in diminished competitiveness and product quality. Further, the continuity of this craft is also at risk as younger generations are increasingly hesitant to pursue it, citing its limited economic viability. This reluctance jeopardizes the survival of this cultural heritage, highlighting the urgency of intervention. In addition, governmental support and community-level initiatives are imperative to sustain this art form. These measures could include financial aid, enhanced market access, and programs to raise awareness about cultural and economic value of terracotta artisanship.