Multi-Period Regional Survey Data from Vidarbha, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Presented here are the data collected during regional surveys of Vidarbha, India, which were collected to reconstruct the societal and cultural changes that took place in this region during the mid-first millennium CE. Following an overview of the data and their research context, we describe the methods that were used to collect, process and analyse them. This is accompanied by a critical assessment of the factors that constrained the survey and our results. The dataset is then described in detail, with a thorough account of each data group and how they are arranged, presented and archived. Finally, we discuss how these data can be reused in the continued archaeological study of this region, and comparative studies of site distributions.

Accepting Variation and Embracing Uncertainty: Creating a Regional Pottery Typology in South Asian Archaeology

“…The distinguishing feature of this class-variant is the low frequency of mica specks visible on both surfaces, and the application of a thin layer of mud slurry (5YR-6/8 reddish yellow) on the exterior surface, which gives a harsh feel to the touch. Only one bodysherd of this class-variant was identified in the corpus of Mandhal area at the site of Mandhal itself (MND01) (Hawkes et al, 2020b). The decoration applied on this class-variant has been observed at earlier excavations at the site of Mahurjhari and corresponds to MHR Class 2.6 .…”

“…Only twenty-five potsherds have been identified in the survey assemblage, mostly in the Mandhal and Pauni areas. Only one potsherd was collected from Chamak area, at the site of Taular Walni Bujurg (TLR02) (Hawkes et al, 2020b).…”

“…Addressing this, we have examined the pottery that was collected during landscape surveys of different parts of the region, and sought to analyse them in new ways. Surveys were carried out as part of a wider project investigating the wider longer term societal and cultural change in region (Hawkes et al, 2016(Hawkes et al, , 2020b. They took place in three 2 The periodisation of South Asia's past uses a number of terms that are unique to the region and are defined on the basis of both cultural and technological changes.…”

“…While the other zone, centred on the site of Chamak to the west of the region, was selected in order to test whether trends identified in the presumed core area of urbanism were the same elsewhere in the region (see Fig 2). The full details and results of these surveys are published separately (Hawkes et al, 2020b). Yet, in brief, surveys resulted in the discovery of 269 sites in these three areas.…”

“…In practice, this meant that at sites defined by surface scatters, pottery was collected from the centre of the visible scatter within a 10x10m grid. For further details of the survey methodology employed, see Hawkes et al (2020b). In total, 10,119 potsherds from 134 sites in 3 survey zones were collected for analyses (Table 1).…”