Sea travel was fraught with peril and danger in early historical and medieval times, and not surprisingly, from an early period, a saviour or saviouress from sea danger was part of the Indic cultural tradition. First, in Buddhism in the form of Avalokite?vara and T?r?, but later in Hinduism, the protective saviour deities emerged in the Indian Subcontinent, including in the eastern seaboard region of Odisha. The coastal shrines in the Indian Ocean World provided the cultural basis for the maritime transactions among the various regions of the Indian Ocean. The paper is an attempt to construct various coastal shrines in Odisha by analysing the historical-cultural context of their origin and growth. The paper uses archaeological, historical evidence, temple legend and local tradition to construct the maritime economic landscape of Odisha in the early historical and early medieval period, which includes accounting for the locations of ports on the riverine mouths. The location of these ports in the estuarine mouths or on the river banks is dependent on their hinterlands, and the paper analyses the role the goods and traders of Odisha played in the Indian Ocean trade. Given the dangers of sea voyages and belief in protective deities, the coastal establishments saw the emergence of coastal shrines in early historical and early medieval Odisha.

Keywords: Coastal shrines, Transnational networks, T?r? as Saviouress, Siddha Y?tr?, Mangal?.

Reconstructing an area's unwritten history and past cultures can be deduced from the systematic study of archaeological sites and material vestiges of the past. There has been limited research work undertaken in this outlook in Karbi Anglong district of Assam because of socio-political issues and the region’s remote, hilly environment. This research aims to unearth the archaeological resources from the western region of Karbi Anglong district and determine their relevance. Baolagog, Lembra and Umswai are the three villages where the fieldwork has been conducted. Field data have been gathered using archaeological explorations, and interview methods. The investigator encountered remnants of pottery and stone artifacts, especially celts. Potsherds were recovered on surface and in exposed sections which produced 195 number of ceramic sherds. Ethnoarchaeological methods including comparative analogy, petrographic examination, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were employed to evaluate ceramic sherds. Mineralogically similar composition is implied by the results of XRD analysis on samples obtained from both surface and exposed sections. Petrography has identified coarse particle mineralogy, added tempering materials and possible ceramic production processes. Typo-technological evaluation of ceramic sherds, along with existence of polished-stone artifacts (celts) and proximity of monolithic stone construction site provide a basis to investigate this situation ethnoarcheologically. Ceramic sherds and stone artifacts of the examined region; ancient monolithic alignments of stones, a historical form of subsistence; shifting agriculture; and continued utilization of clay vessels in ceremonial rituals by the local residents may be connected through time since a long antiquity. Therefore these elements have made it obvious that there is a basis to understand the area's possibility as a place of ancient habitations.

Keywords: Pottery, XRD, Petrography, Celt, Continuity.

This study presents a comprehensive archaeometallurgical analysis of selected metal artefacts excavated from the Early Iron Age levels at the site of Pachkhed, District Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India. Through a multi- nalytical approach employing X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), we investigate the compositional, microstructural and mineralogical characteristics of an iron nail and a bronze bowl. The results confirm deliberate alloying practices, with the bronze object showing a Cu-Sn alloy composition (Sn ~51.77%, Cu ~37.59%) and the iron artefact dominated by ferric compounds, indicative of low-carbon wrought iron with significant surface oxidation. Stratigraphic and contextual data suggest long-term occupation at Pachkhed from the Early Iron Age through the late Medieval period. This study contributes to the growing corpus of metallurgical research in South Asia, situating Pachkhed within broader technological trajectories of protohistoric Deccan metallurgy.

Keywords: Archaeometallurgy, Early Iron Age, SEM-EDS, XRD, XRF, Deccan Metallurgy, Pachkhed.

Dantari Hill in the northeastern Vindhyas is an important site where many forms of archaeological evidence converge within a single landscape. This study documents and analyses megalithic structures, microliths, rock paintings, quarry pits, an inscription, and settlement areas to understand how people lived and used this region over time. A multi-method approach was applied, including megalithic documentation and GIS mapping; random and grid sampling for microliths; micro-documentation of rock art; inscriptional study; and cross-transect surveys for settlement areas. The results reveal 482 megaliths arranged in distinct clusters, microlith production areas, and those used as offerings to funerary rituals, 119 rock paintings depicting diverse scenes, an inscription linked to quarrying activity, and three settlement zones occupied for more than a thousand years. Taken together, this evidence shows that Dantari Hill was not just a burial ground but a connected cultural landscape where people lived, worked, created art, and performed rituals over many generations.

Keywords: Kaimur Range, Megaliths, Microliths, Rock paintings, Inscription, Settlement, Cultural landscape.

In Korea, research on Joseon-period mummies has provided valuable biological insights into people from centuries ago. However, no reports have yet documented the recovery of ancient insect remains from these mummies. This study is significant as the first report on ancient Dermestes in South Korea. During our investigation of a 15th to 17th century Joseon mummy, we discovered beetle remains (genus Dermestes) embedded within the fabric wrapping the mummified body. Our macroscopic and electron microscopic analyses reveal near-perfect preservation of the beetle’s head, thorax, and abdomen. This report highlights the exceptional morphological preservation of insect remains and explores the potential for such specimens to serve as subjects for future biological research.

Keywords: Joseon period; Mummy; Electron Microscope; Genus Dermestes.

This study investigates soil erosion at Buddhist archaeological site on the Jhelum River bank in Baramulla, using Remote Sensing (RS) and GIS. Analysing Landsat and Google Earth imagery (1976–2022), we quantified cumulative spatial changes relative to the 1976 baseline channel area. The reach experienced significant lateral land erosion (32.5%) alongside massive fluvial deposition (71.6%), culminating in a net channel expansion of 39.1% driven by aggressive meander migration. The highest erosion recorded was between 1989-2000 (3,616 m²/year). Predicting future erosion possibilities, this study estimates an additional 10,122m² could be lost by 2050 without undertaking any preventive interventions. The research highlights a methodology for assessing riverbank erosion in archaeological sites using open-source data and emphasizes the importance of GIS and remote sensing in cultural heritage protection.

Keywords: Cultural Heritage, GIS, Remote Sensing, Fluvial Erosion, Site Conservation, Baramulla, Jhelum River.

The representation of human anatomy in Indian sculpture provides important information into the relationship between art, religion, and knowledge systems. While Early Historic sculptural traditions introduced detailed depictions of the human body, Early Medieval Brahmanical and Tantric depictions further developed these conventions through symbolic representations of divine figures. Among such deities, Ch?mu??? has a distinctive position due to her emaciated form and prominent skeletal features. This paper documents and analyses two sculptures of Ch?mu??? from the Kamakhya temple complex, Assam, one of the most important centres of Shakta-Tantric worship in India. The study examines their iconographic features, tantric associations, and representations of the human body, with importance on skeletal anatomy. Through visual and comparative analysis, the sculptures are examined in relation to other Ch?mu??? images from different regions of India to identify regional similarities and variations in artistic expression. The study traces the development of anatomical representation from Early Historic sculptures to the Ch?mu??? iconography of the Early Medieval period. It states that the Kamakhya sculptures reflect a sophisticated interaction between religious symbolism, Tantric ideology, artistic understanding, and anatomical observation. These images not only demonstrate the sculptors’ technical skill but also reveal how the human body was engaged as a powerful visual medium for expressing concepts of death, transformation, and divine power within the Shakta-Tantric tradition.

Keywords: Kamakhya, Sculpture, Tantrism, Human Anatomy, ?akti Pitha.

The Indian subcontinent has garnered significant attention for early ferrous-metal manufacturing and the production of high-carbon wootz steel. Excavations at Malli, an Iron Age site in Gondia district, Maharashtra, revealed the presence of furnaces, iron antiquities, besides abundant slags datable to the mid-second millennium BCE. The current paper deals with two aspects of early Iron Age metallurgy at Malli. First, the results of chemical analyses and microstructural observations of iron slags, using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF), are presented. Secondly, it attempts to offer archaeo- cultural insights from the results of a scientific survey.

Keywords: Megaliths, Vidarbha, smelting, iron furnace, slag compositions, early ferrous manufacturing.

Geoglyphs constitute a distinctive form of large-scale landscape modification, reflecting complex interactions between human societies and their environments. While extensively studied in regions such as South America, geoglyph traditions in India remain comparatively underexplored. This paper examines geoglyphs from the Konkan and Jaisalmer regions using an integrated approach that combines morphological analysis, spatial context, and theoretical interpretation. Drawing upon phenomenology and the concept of taskscape, the study interprets geoglyphs not merely as visual representations but as embodied practices embedded within lived landscapes. 

The analysis reveals significant regional variation. Konkan geoglyphs, characterized by figurative motifs and reductive engraving techniques, suggest localized, ritualized engagements with laterite plateaus, potentially dating to the Mesolithic period. In contrast, the large-scale geometric formations of Jaisalmer, likely of more recent origin, indicate movement-oriented spatial practices associated with routes, memorial landscapes, and desert navigation. This contrast challenges the notion of a unified geoglyph tradition in India and instead points to episodic and context-specific developments shaped by environmental and cultural factors.

By situating Indian geoglyphs within broader theoretical and comparative frameworks, the study contributes to global discussions on landscape archaeology, emphasizing the experiential, performative, and processual dimensions of large-scale earthworks.

Keywords: Geoglyphs, Intaglios, Petroglyphs, Jaisalmer, Konkan, Rock art.

The Deccan Plateau region of India saw the construction of several subterranean aqueducts between the 15th and 18th centuries CE using Persian hydraulic technology, marking a significant milestone in the historical development of urban water infrastructure. While these aqueducts have been largely analysed from a technical perspective, their spatial, aesthetic, and cultural dimensions remain underexplored. In response to this gap, this paper explores the subterranean aqueduct network of Pune built in the 18th century by the Peshwa rulers as a spatial structure that emerged from and simultaneously shaped the urban landscape of the city. To begin with, it investigates the interaction between aqueducts and Pune's topography and their contribution to the city’s growth. Next, it examines the aqueducts as creators of quality urban spaces and identity. Lastly, it seeks to find out how urbanisation and changing values have affected aqueducts, resulting in their continued use or neglect. Employing a qualitative historical research methodology, relevant information have been gathered through archival research, documentary analysis, and field observations. Despite their deterioration, the historic aqueducts preserve hydro-geological knowledge that remains relevant to the design of contemporary water infrastructure. In conclusion, the paper recommends exploring the integration of historic aqueducts with modern networked water infrastructure to diversify water sources and enhance system resilience in the context of rising water demand and climate change. It also highlights the need to conserve the surviving aqueduct network due to its historical value, as it embodies context-specific water infrastructure design strategies and socio- cultural dimensions of water management.

Keywords: subterranean aqueducts, water infrastructure, historic, urban landscape, Peshwa, Pune, Deccan.

Archaeological studies in Kachchh, Gujarat, continue to rely on legacy data sets created before the widespread use of GPS and standardised spatial recording, yet the quality of these data sets for modern spatial analysis has been poorly evaluated. This research assesses the legacy records of Mature Harappan archaeological sites in Eastern Kachchh, which are marked by variable reporting of coordinates, repeated site names and unclear cultural attributions, and assesses the potential of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), integrated with colonial Survey of India toposheets, to inform the re-evaluation of archaeological legacy data. The study adopted a methodological approach of cleaning and cross-checking published legacy datasets, spatial analyses using historical maps, CORONA imagery, multispectral satellite data, digital elevation models, and multi-season field surveys aided by GPS recording to reidentify and validate reported sites. The findings reveal that legacy coordinates exhibit significant spatial uncertainty, with an average error of about 4 km and a range of 1 to 16 km, underscoring the need to critically assess legacy spatial datasets. Although remote sensing and GIS have limited potential for primary site detection in Kachchh due to geomorphological variability, they are useful for site boundary delineation, landscape change reconstruction and contextualisation of confirmed sites. The research suggests that archaeological interpretations are best supported by integrating critically evaluated legacy data, field verification, and geospatial analysis, with technological tools that complement field surveys.

Keywords: Legacy data, Mature Harappan, Eastern Kachchh, Spatial uncertainty, Field-verified GIS.