An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s18.t3.41

v1.c9.s18.t3.41

*4.18.10 S.-e. Deccan.* The cultural set-up of the s.-e. Deccan succeeding the late Neolithic/Chalcolithic [4.6.8., 4.14.7] and the advent of the Iron Age Megalithic [4.17.7] periods has not been fully worked out. The same is true of the historical period prior to the establishment of the Sātavāhana rule in the region. Except a few inscriptions, sculptures, coins, literary references and travel accounts, no systematic material evidence has been gathered from archaeological finds. Moreover the absence of cultural superimpositions at such a largely excavated site as NAGARJUNAKONDA has added problems rather than solved them, although the settlement patterns of each culture right from the Palaeolithic Age to the late medieval period are individually well documented at this site; but even here no material evidence exists for the historical period prior to the later Sātavāhana occupation. Any account on the early historical cultures would therefore suffer from a lack of authentic data. For the sake of clarity, however, this long period may be divided into the three following phases, the dynastic appellation of each being only meant for convenient labelling: I, 6th to 3rd century B.C. (pre-Mauryan); II, 3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D. (Mauryan and early Sātavāhana); and III, 1st to 3rd century A.D. (late Sātavāhana).