Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T06:15:34.811Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The origins of iron working in India: new evidence from the Central Ganga Plain and the Eastern Vindhyas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Rakesh Tewari
Rakesh Tewari*
Affiliation:
U.P. State Archaeological Department, Roshan-ud-daula Kothi, Kaisarbagh, Lucknow 226 001 (U.P.) India (Email: [email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Recent excavations in Uttar Pradesh have turned up iron artefacts, furnaces, tuyeres and slag in layers radiocarbon dated between 1800 and 1000 BC. This raises again the question of whether iron working was brought to India during supposed immigrations in the second millennium BC, or developed independently

Keywords

Early Iron AgeIndiaGanga Valleyiron workingEastern Vindhyas
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 77 , Issue 297 , September 2003 , pp. 536 - 544
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Agarwal, D.P. 2000. Ancient Metal Technology and Archaeology of South Asia. New Delhi: Aryan Books International.Google Scholar
Agrawal, D.P., Kusumgar, S. & Sarna, R.P. 1964. Radiocarbon dates of Archaeological samples, Current Science 33: 266–69.Google Scholar
Agrawal, O.P., Narain, H. & Joshi, G.P. 1985. Iron Objects from South Indian Megaliths (Karnataka) — A Technological Study and Significance, in Sundara, A. (ed.) Archaeology in Karnataka: 219–234. Mysore: Directorate of Archaeology & Museums. Google Scholar
Allchin, B. & Allchin, R. 1982. The Rise of Civilization in India and Pakistan. Cambridge.Google Scholar
Banarjee, N.R 1965. The Iron Age in India. Delhi.Google Scholar
Chakrabarti, D.K. 1974. Beginning of Iron in India: Problem Reconsidered, in Ghosh, A.K. (ed.), Perspectives in Palaeoanthropology: 345–356. Calcutta: Firma K.L. Mukhopadhyay;Google Scholar
Chakrabarti, D.K. 1976. The beginning of iron in India. Antiquity 4: 114–124;Google Scholar
Chakrabarti, D.K. 1992. The Early Use of Iron in India. Delhi: Oxford University Press;Google Scholar
Chakrabarti, D.K. 1999. India An Archaeological History. Delhi: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Deo, S.B. 1991. New Discoveries of Iron Age in India, in C. Margbandhu, Ramachandran, K.S. Sagar, A.P Sinha, D.K. (eds.), Indian Archaeological Heritage I: 189–97. New Delhi: Agam Kala Prakashan.Google Scholar
Gaur, R.C. 1997. Studies in Indian Archaeology and Ancient India I. Jaipur: Publication Scheme, pp. 238–250.Google Scholar
Gordon, D.H. 1950. The Early Use of Metals in India and Pakistan. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 55–78.Google Scholar
Moorti, U.S. 1994. Megalithic Culture of South India: Socio-Economic Perspectives. Varanasi, Ganga Kaveri Publishing House.Google Scholar
Nagarajarao, M.S. 1974. Iron Age in South India: Fresh Evidence on Chronology, in Ghosh, A.K. (ed.), Perspective in Palaeoanthropology: 357–62. Calcutta: Firma K.L. Mukhopadhyay.Google Scholar
Possehl, G.L. & Rissman, P.C. 1992. The Chronology of Prehistoric India: From Earliest Times to the Iron Age, in Ehrich, R.W. (ed.) Chronologies in Old World Archaeology. Vol.1: 465–490; Vol. II: 447–474. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Prakash, B. & Tripathi, V. 1986. Iron technology in ancient India. Historical Metallurgy: 568–579.Google Scholar
Sahi, M.D.N. 1979. Iron at Ahar, in Agrawal, D.P. and Chakrabarti, D.K. (eds.). Essays in Indian Protohistory. Delhi: pp. 365–68.Google Scholar
Sharma, A.K. 1992. Early Iron Users of Gufkral, in Nayak, B.U., Ghosh, N.C. (eds.), New Trends in Indian Art and Archaeology I: 63–68. New Delhi: Aditya Prakashan,Google Scholar
Sharma, R.S. 1983. Material Culture and Social Formations in Ancient India. Delhi: Macmillan.Google Scholar
Singh, P., Tewari, R. & Singh, R.N. 2000. Explorations in Chandauli District (U.P.) 1999–2000: A Preliminary Report, Pragdhara 10: 135–148.Google Scholar
Subramanyam, B.R. 1964. Appearance and Spread of Iron in India — An Appraisal of Archaeological Data. Journal of the Oriental institute, Baroda 13: 349–59.Google Scholar
Tewari, R., & Srivastava, R.K. 1997. Excavations at Raja Nala-ka-tila (1995-96), District Sonbhadra (U.P.): Preliminary observations. Pragdhara 7: 77–95.Google Scholar
Tewari, R., & Srivastava, R.K. 1998. Excavations at Raja Nala-ka-tila (1996-97) District Sonbhadra (U.P.): Preliminary Observations. Pragdhara 8: 99–105.Google Scholar
Tewari, R., Srivastava, R.K. Saraswat, K.S. & Singh., K.K. 2000. Excavations at Malhar, District Chandauli (U.P.) 1999: A Preliminary Report, Pragdhara 10: 69–98.Google Scholar
Tewari, R., Srivastava, R.K. & Singh, K.K. 2002. Dadupur Excavations 1999-2000-2001, District Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: A Preliminary Report. Pragdhara 12: 99–116.Google Scholar
Tewari, R., Srivastava, R.K. & Singh, K.K. 2002a. Excavation at Lahuradewa, District Sant Kabir Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. Puratattva 32: 54–62.Google Scholar
Wheeler, R.E.M. 1959. Early India and Pakistan. London.Google Scholar