The Archaeology of Coastal Bengal

This book investigates the vast geo-physical features of the coastal region of West Bengal stretching from the Sundarbans, the Brahmaputra-Ganga delta, and Orissa. The settlement strategies in terms of the genesis and their continuity till date are extensively discussed. The book also explores the validation of equating sea-faring activities only with trade

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Research work on coastal Bengal has mostly focused on maritime trading networks. In a clear departure from the existing scholarship, this volume questions the linearity of considering trade as the sole determinant of creation of settlement in the coastal regions. Focusing on settlement strategies, Chattopadhyay unravels how human societies, through successive generations, have adapted to the coastal environment and bioregime.

First-hand data, procured through extensive fieldwork, forms the sound basis of this work. From structural remains, ceramic and bone implements, and stone tools, to terracotta figurines and inscriptions, a vast array of sources, including epigraphic and literary sources, is analysed. Significantly, the volume also highlights the interconnection between coastal geography and the hinterland.

Chattopadhyay's meticulously researched work offers a geographical and temporal frame which allows the research on coastal Bengal to be viewed as an integral part of the archaeological developments in not only the subcontinent but also the adjoining region of the Southeast Asian countries.