Multiple Approaches to the Study of India’s Early Past : Essays in Theoretical Archaeology

Preface vii List of Illustrations xiii I. Theory in Archaeology: The New Archaeology 1 and Later Developments Introduction 1 The New Archaeology 6 Background 6 Birth of the New Archaeology 12 Structure of the New Archaeology 14 Conceptual Changes 15 Methodological Innovations 18 Role of Scientific Reasoning 20 Growth of ?Newer? Archaeologies 25 Impact 27 Post-Processual or Interpretive Archaeology 31 II. Theoretical Perspectives in Indian Archaeology 50 Introduction 50 Beginnings of Theoretical Debates 53 Impact of the New Archaeology 59 Stone Age Studies 60 Protohistoric Studies 72 Historical Period 75 Interpretive Approaches 76 Use of Indigenous Theoretical Perspectives 79 Conclusion 90 III. Don?t We Need More ?Falls Through the Roof?? 109 D.D. Kosambi?s Insights into Prehistory 109 Psychoanalysts and Philosophers 116 Jurists 119 Other Writers 121 Views of Writers from Outside India 124 Nationalist Leaders 125 Writings on History of Archaeology 129 IV. Darwinian Revolution and The Birth of Prehistory 143 Introduction 143 Process Philosophy 146 Social Thought 149 Religious Thought 152 Antiquarian Studies 153 Antiquity of Man 154 Birth of Indian Prehistory 157 V. The Past in the Indian Mind 163 Introduction 163 The Indian Mind 166 Place of the Past 171 Manifestations and Sources of the Sense of Past 173 Discussion 180 VI. The Relevance of the Past: From Sir William Jones 193 to Amartya Sen Index 207