Keywords
Ceramics
Early Historic
Culture
Excavation
Trade
Pottery Assemblage
Comparative Study
How to Cite
Abstract
This research investigates the ceramic collections from significant Early Historic locations in Coastal Bengal - Tamluk, Bahiri, Chandraketugarh, and Tilpi - to analyze the socio-cultural dynamics from the 3rd century BCE to the Gupta period. By conducting a comparative study of ceramic typology and distribution, it assesses Bengal’s involvement in regional and trans-regional trade networks that connect South and Southeast Asia. The results indicate a variety of pottery traditions, such as Rouletted Ware, Northern Black Polished Ware, and Red Polished Ware, demonstrating Bengal’s integration into extensive maritime and inland trade systems. These ceramics, which served both practical and prestigious purposes, offer insights into Bengal’s links with South and Southeast Asia via the Indian Ocean exchange network. The results emphasize how ceramic production mirrors trends in urbanization, technological advancement, and cultural change. By placing the ceramic findings within a wider archaeological and historical framework, this research highlights Coastal Bengal’s crucial role as a cultural and commercial conduit that connects regional traditions with broader trans-regional interactions during the Early Historic period.
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