Overview for Art and Archaeology of Orissa: Recent Perspectives
The present volume is a pioneering effort to unravel the rich archaeological potential of the middle Mahanadi Valley in Orissa that was traditionally considered terra incognita or an area of isolation. The area roughly extends from the Hirakud dam in Sambalpur district up to the Satkosia in Angul district. The present volume entitled Art and Archaeology of Orissa-Recent Perspectives with a collection of three important research papers contributed by three senior scholars based on their field works negate this long-standing hypothesis that culturally this was an area of isolation or of recent human penetration. Rather, it was an important geo-cultural region right from the pre-historic times. P.K. Behera's extensive and intensive explorations along with a series of trial excavations conducted in the middle Mahanadi Valley have brought to limelight a large number of ancient settlements, ranging in date from the Mesolithic to the Early Historical Periods. Sadasiba Pradhan, editor of the present volume, presents the results of trial excavations conducted at Nuagarh, a proto-historic site in the Middle Mahanadi Valley. Locally known as Asurgarh, the site yielded material evidence from the Chalcolithic to the Early Historic Periods. P.K. Nayak in his extensive study of the temples of Western Orissa tries to focus the regional variations and peculiarities in the domain of temple building, an important cultural trait of the Medieval Period. Profusely illustrated with maps, line drawings and photographs, this volume presents a detailed cultural spectrum of the region and paces the way for further extensive research. This volume will fascinate students and scholars of art history and archaeology.
Sadasiba Pradhan (Editor)
Dr. Sadasiba Pradhan (b. 16th May, 1955), presently a senior Reader in the Post-Graduate Department of History, Sambalpur University, Orissa had his professional training in archaeology in the Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi and in the Institute of Archaeology, University College of London, UK. A brilliant scholar with varied academic interests that are reflected in the M. Phil and Ph.D dissertations he has guided. Dr. Pradhan has authored Agrarian and Political Movements in the State of Orissa (New Delhi 1986); Archaeological Sites of South Kosala (Sambalpur 1989); Orissan History, Culture and Archaeology (ed.) (New Delhi 1999) besides more than thirty research papers. Presently he is working on a UGC sponsored major research project entitled 'Art and Archaeology of the painted rock shelters in Orissa'.
Bagchee
