Iron Age South India

A group presentation
Location map
Figure 1. Location map.
Click to enlarge.

We are pleased to present seven contributions reporting on current research on the Late Prehistoric and Early Historic archaeology of northern Karnataka, South India. Five of the contributions (Sinopoli, Morrison and Gopal; Johansen, A. Bauer; R. Bauer; M. Gallon) are from a research project (Late Prehistoric and Early Historic Landscapes of the Tungabhadra Corridor or LP/EHLTC) co-directed by the Universities of Chicago and Michigan and the Karnataka Department of Archaeology and Museums, while two (Brubaker; Sugandhi) report on independent research projects within the wider regional setting. Carla Sinopoli, Kathleen Morrison and R. Gopal introduce the project, and describe the scope of work at Kadebakele the largest Iron Age settlement in the study area. Peter Johansen uses survey to deduce the social geography of two Iron Age settlement sites. Robert Brubaker demonstrates social ranking in the use of megalithic burial, reflected also in the special value of cattle, as shown by Radhika Lu Bauer. Social change is also evident in metal working, as summarised by Matthew Gallon, and Andrew Bauer shows that apparently natural features such as rock pools and soil distributions have also been harnessed to the symbolic programme of the monumental landscape. Namita Sugandhi offers a context for these pivotal social changes in the form of a hierarchical network emanating from the distant and better known Mauryan Empire of northern India.


Late prehistoric and early historic South India: recent research along the Tungabhadra river, Karnataka
Carla M. Sinopoli, Kathleen D. Morrison & R. Gopal

The production of settlement landscapes and social difference in Iron Age South India: surface collection and documentation at Bukkasagara and Rampuram
Peter G. Johansen

Regional perspectives on Megalithic landscapes: investigating the sociopolitical dimensions of late prehistoric sites in central Karnataka and west Andhra Pradesh, India
Robert Brubaker

Social distinctions and animal use in the South Indian Iron Age: archaeological evidence from Kadebakele, northern Karnataka
Radhika Lu Bauer

The political economy of Iron in late prehistoric South India
Matthew D. Gallon

Producing places and producing 'nature': rock pools, weathering grooves, soil distributions and place-making in Iron Age northern Karnataka
Andrew M. Bauer

Networks of intention in a peripheral landscape
Namita Sugandhi