Glory Of The Kushans: Recent Discoveries And Interpretations

  • Format:

Advent of Kushans in the Indian subcontinent is a significant historical event. It is suggestive of such processes and factors which shaped early historic cultural milieu of India in particular and Asia in general. The Kushan kings played an important part in the ancient history of India and Central Asia, worthy contemporaries of the three great world powers of the early centuries of the first millennium AD, the Roman Empire, the Han Empire of China and the Arsacid and Sasanian Empires of Iran. During the first four centuries of the millennium, they controlled a vital space between these empires, acting the role of entrepreneurs in international trade and restoring unified rule to northern India. Their patronage of Buddhism enabled it to spread through Central Asia into China. However, in spite of their importance, very little information of their activities has survived into the modern period. This volume is an outcome of the International Seminar entitled, ?Kushan Glory and Its Contemporary Challenges?, which was organized by the Bharat Kala Bhavan, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (India), between October 3 and 5, 2008. Most of the papers were presented in the seminar but there are a few which were invited. Inclusion of these were intended to fill the gaps, in the otherwise holistic format of this volume. The 21 contributions of the volume are placed in seven distinct sections covering different themes, viz., (i) Discoveries: Old and Recent; (ii) Hegemony: Kushan Empire and Out-posts; (iii) Chronology and Succession; (iv) Policies and Patronage: Kushan Religion; (v) Architecture and Settlement: Kushan Archaeology; (vi) Art Expressions: Kushan Portraits and Compositions; (vii) Expansion and Continuity: Kushan Styles and Techniques. This strikingly illustrated volume is a significant contribution to the field of Kushan studies and is valuable for students and scholars of history.\n\n

An archaeologist and a teacher of repute, Professor Vidula Jayaswal, after superannuation from the Banaras Hindu University, where she served for more than four decades, is presently occupying the prestigious Prof. R.C. Sharma Chair of Archaeology and Art History, at Jfiana-Pravaha, Centre for Cultural Studies and Research, Varanasi. She has also served Archaeological Survey of India as Deputy Superintending Archaeologist for a short period. Recipient of various scholarships and fellowships, she received specialized training in archaeology and anthropology at the University of Berkeley. Professor Jayaswal has not only carried out a number of archaeological and ethnological field studies, but has also been prompt in publishing the results. Author of over twenty books and research monographs, and about 70 research articles, Professor Jayaswal is known for her original contribution in Indian prehistory, ethnoarchaeology and interpretation of archaeological remains of the Historical Period of the Middle Ganga Plain. Besides, she could also infuse scientific temper to the study of archaeology, through some major projects financed by the Ford Foundation (USA), and the Department of Science & Technology (Government of India), of which she has been the Principal Investigator and Coordinator. Her recent publications include

Vidula Jayaswal

Customer questions & answers

Add a review

Login to write a review.

Related products

Subscribe to Padhega India Newsletter!

Step into a world of stories, offers, and exclusive book buzz- right in your inbox! ✨

Subscribe to our newsletter today and never miss out on the magic of books, special deals, and insider updates. Let’s keep your reading journey inspired! 🌟