An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s18.41

v1.c9.s18.41

4. *18.2 W. region*. Rajasthan, bearing a distinct geographical personality in spite of its diverse geomorphological features, played in important role in the growth of early historical cultures of upper India. Unfortunately the available archaeological data are meagre and confined to a limited number of excavated sites like NOH, BAIRAT, RAIRH, JODHPURA, NAGAR² (information from Krishna Deva from his personal notes), SAMBHAR, NAGARI, RANG MAHAL and AHAR². The picture of initial stages of cultural growth of the early historical period, therefore, is rather hazy. However the excavated material which can be divided into the following stages furnishes some idea of the material life of the period: (i) protoliterate (600 to 300 B.C.); (ii) literate (300 to 200 B.C.); (iii) preclassical (200 to 0 B.C.); and (iv) protoclassical (1st to 3rd centuries A.D.).