Encyclopaedia of art, archaeology, and literature in Central India

by R.K. Sharma

The present work attempts a critical assessment of various sources of the history and culture of Central India from the earliest times to 13th century A.D. All conceivable aspects of the source material viz. Pre and Protohistoric Archaeology, Epigraphy, Numismatics, Art and Architecture, Literature and Accounts of the Foreign Travelers and Writers have been covered with bibliographical references in the list supplied with each chapter. A critical and comprehensive survey precedes each list. At the end a Select Bibliography is preceded by two appendices to cover radio-carbon dates and ostrich egg-shell sites. The work fulfills two objectives for which it was undertaken viz. i) It ascertains the extent to which the available source material related to the history and culture of Central India has been utilised by the historians and the gaps that still remain to be filled up and ii) It helps advanced students in getting to know the historical source material of Central India lying scattered in different parts of the region. Strikingly illustrated, the present work will prove to be a source book of ready reference for the archaeologists, historians, art critics, as well as research scholars in furthering their researches regarding the political and cultural history of India in general and Central India in particular.

683 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1998