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Strong economies, weak polities: The archaeology of central India in the early centuries A.D.

dc.contributor.authorSmith, Monica Louise
dc.contributor.advisorWright, Henry T.
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-30T17:25:53Z
dc.date.available2016-08-30T17:25:53Z
dc.date.issued1997
dc.identifier.urihttp://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqm&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:9722093
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/130363
dc.description.abstractThe selective application of modern economic models to the ancient economy enables the reconstruction of trade activities prior to the advent of the modern nation-state, though it is clear that ancient trade flourished despite the lack of economic infrastructure now provided by central governments such as communication facilities, transport routes, and political stability in the countryside. This research examines the motivations and mechanisms for exchange activities in the central Indian subcontinent from the early centuries B.C. to the early centuries A.D., a period when the political landscape was composed of a number of competing dynasties and short-lived political alliances. Field research was conducted at the site of Kaundinyapura and its environs, where a series of systematic surface collections was undertaken in 1994 and 1995 to document the artifacts of local trade in the Early Historic period. Analysis of these collections demonstrates that items of common use during the Early Historic period, such as sandstone implements and micaceous vessels, were widespread at the site even though the natural source areas for these materials is at least 75 kilometers away. The archaeological record thus supports a model of a thriving trade network in utilitarian and domestic-use goods even during periods of political instability. It is proposed that trade activities flourished in this period because of a widespread need for objects which served multiple roles: objects were the visible manifestation of kinship, religious and social ties across an economically-diverse landscape, as well as being symbols expressive of hierarchical social structures within towns and villages.
dc.format.extent445 p.
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoEN
dc.subjectArchaeology
dc.subjectCentral
dc.subjectCenturies
dc.subjectCenturiesa
dc.subjectEarly
dc.subjectEconomies
dc.subjectIndia
dc.subjectPolities
dc.subjectStrong
dc.subjectWeak
dc.titleStrong economies, weak polities: The archaeology of central India in the early centuries A.D.
dc.typeThesis
dc.description.thesisdegreenamePhDen_US
dc.description.thesisdegreedisciplineArchaeology
dc.description.thesisdegreedisciplineAsian history
dc.description.thesisdegreedisciplineEconomic history
dc.description.thesisdegreedisciplineSocial Sciences
dc.description.thesisdegreegrantorUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies
dc.description.bitstreamurlhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/130363/2/9722093.pdf
dc.owningcollnameDissertations and Theses (Ph.D. and Master's)


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