Aryan Books

THE AGE OF IRON IN SOUTH ASIA : Legacy and Tradition

By :- Vibha Tripathi

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Type: English

Pages: xvi+280

ISBN-13: 978-81-7305-208-8

Place: New Delhi

Edition: 1st

Publisher: ARYAN BOOKS INTERNATIONAL

Size: 22cm x 28cm

Product Year: 2001

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The beginning of metallurgy is a landmark in man?s march towards civilization. The advent of iron was a high water mark of technological advancement made by humankind. The metallurgical skill of ancient Indian iron craftsmen manifests itself in the colossal Delhi iron pillar, the Konark beams, the Dhar pillar and the wootz steel, erroneously called the Damascus steel till recently. The present book deals with the diverse dimensions of iron technology in ancient India and its technology in ancient India and its legacies. The issue of origin of iron in the Old World, particularly in South Asia is taken up in detail. Equal emphasis is given to the innovations in iron metallurgy, the pattern of its adaptation and its impact on the socio-cultural matrix over the millennia. Iron production, its resource zones, the mechanism of its distribution and transportation and the symbiotic relationship between the areas of ?relative isolation? and the ?area of attraction? have been given detailed treatment. The author surmises that there is a direct relationship between technological input and the growing material output and thus iron appears to have played a vital role in the complex phenomena of cultural change. The reconstructions, though based primarily on archaeological data, have been substantiated by ethnographic and literary evidences. This multi-dimensional approach makes the deductions more balanced. The book should interest the general readership as well as the specialists in the field of archaeology, history and archaeo-metallurgy.

Preface, List of Illustrations, Abbreviations I. Introduction II. The Background-Emergence of Iron in Ancient World III. Origin and Dispersal of Iron in India IV. From Copper to Iron-Growth of Metallurgy V. Metals and Metallurgy of Iron in the Antiquity VI. Iron Ores in India, their Mining and Cultural Correlation VII. Towards the Age of Iron VIII. Conclusion, Bibliography, Index

Prof. Vibha Tripathi teaches in the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology at the Banaras Hindu University. Her areas of interest are Proto-Historic and Early Historic Archaeology. She has contributed to wide ranging subjects, viz. ancient ceramics, metallurgy, drainage pattern, settlement system, socio-cultural history and palaeo-environment. She received her Bachelor?s and Master?s degree from the University of Allahabad and her Ph.D. degree from Banaras Hindu University. She is widely travelled, attending libraries, visiting museums and participating in Seminars in several countries. She has devoted herself to iron age studies for two decades. The present book is an outcome of her sustained interest in this field. Her studies make use of all possible source like literature, ethnography, tradition, scientific analysis besides archaeological data for a holistic reconstruction of the past. Her academic dynamism is also reflected in her active participation in seminars, symposia and workshops on issues related to these themes. There are a large number of research articles to her credit, published in national and international journals of repute. She has authored books like The Painted Grey Ware: An Iron Age Culture of Northern India, Indus Terracottas (co-author), Archaeometallurgy in India (edited volume). Currently she is working on aspects of mining and metallurgy in ancient India in collaboration with engineers of mining and metallurgy departments with a view to explore the contributions India has made in the fields of science and technology.

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