An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s18.t3.44

v1.c9.s18.t3.44

In the cuttings laid across the fortifications at DHARANIKOTA the earliest period yielded an embankment-cum-wharf abutting a navigational channel which had been in existence earlier than the rise of the fortifications of Sātavāhana date. The profuse variety of Mediterranean glass objects, mostly bangles, ear-rings, studs, etc., is indicative of the foreign trade during this period (Raghavachary, 1972-3). The occurrence of silver punch-marked coins [3.1] of archaic types in hoards at Singavaram, Dt Krishna (Altekar, 1960), and other places in Andhra lends support to the view that the region had come under Nanda-Maurya political and cultural impacts (Narayanan, 1975, p. 254). More direct and indisputable evidence is available from the time of Aśoka. The fragmentary pillar edict and certain early inscribed members of the Amaravati *stūpa*-railing stand witness to the importance attached by the emperor to this Buddhist centre. Buddhism rose to the level of a state religion and many strongholds developed with Amaravati as the main centre. During the post-Aśokan period a local king Kuberaka appears to have patronized Buddhism in the Krishna basin, as the BHATTIPROLU relic casket inscriptions and the monastery excavated at the site reveal. The various donatory records on the architectural and sculptural members, seals, etc., obtained from the Buddhist sites such as AMARAVATI, Jaggayyapeta, Bhattiprolu, Gudivada, Ghantasala and Guntupalli prove the existence of organized guilds (*goṣṭhīs*) and co-operatives (*nigamas*) right from the 2nd century B.C. These institutions served as rich promoters of trade between the n. and s. Less frequent are the vestiges of the Jaina faith, the notable examples being the rock beds and inscribed caverns at Malakonda, Dt Prakasam (*An. Rep. S. Indian Epigraphy 1936-7*, p. 75), and Guntupalli, Dt w. Godavari. At the latter site a pillar record reveals how a Mahāmeghavāhana ruler erected pillared halls for the Jainas (*Andhra Pradesh Epigraphical Series*, 3, 1968, pp. 1-7). The inscriptions and structural remains are assignable to the 2nd century B.C.