The present volume is a pioneering effort to unravel the rich archaeological potential of the middle Mahanadi Valley in Orissa that was traditionally considered terra incognita or an area of isolation. The area roughly extends from the Hirakud dam in Sambalpur district up to the Satkosia in Angul district. The present volume entitled Art and Archaeology of Orissa - Recent Perspectives with a collection of three important research papers contributed by three senior scholars based on their field works negate this long-standing hypothesis that culturally this was an area of isolation or of recent human penetration. Rather, it was an important geo-cultural region right from the pre-historic times. P.K. Behera's extensive and intensive explorations along with a series of trial excavations conducted in the middle Mahanadi Valley have brought to limelight a large number of ancient settlements, ranging in date from the Mesolithic to the Early Historical Periods. Sadasiba Pradhan, editor of the present volume, presents the results of trial excavations conducted at Nuagarh, a proto-historic site in the Middle Mahanadi Valley. Locally known as Asurgarh, the site yielded material evidence from the Chalcolithic to the Early Historic Periods. P.K. Nayak in his extensive study of the temples of Western Orissa tries to focus the regional variations and peculiarities in the domain of temple building, an important cultural trait of the Medieval Period. Profusely illustrated with maps, line drawings and photographs, this volume presents a detailed cultural spectrum of the region and paces the way for further extensive research. This volume will fascinate students and scholars of art history and archaeology.



Author Bio: Sadasiba Pradhan (b. 1955) took his MA (1978), M. Phil (1980) and Ph.D. (1983) degrees from Sambalpur University. He had his professional training in Archaeology at Institute of Archaeology (ASI), New Delhi and Institute of Archaeology, University of London (UK). He was the recipient of Charles Wallace British Council Fellowship, UK and STARR Foundation Visiting Senior Research Fellowship of National Gallery of Art, Washington DC (USA). His area of research is art history and archaeology. He has several research publications in national and international research journals, besides four books entitled - Agrarian and Political Movements in the State of Orissa, Archaeological Sites of South Kosala, Orissan History, Culture and Archaeology (ed.), Rock Art in Orissa. He has successfully supervised several M. Phil and Ph.D. dissertations. He is presently serving as Professor in the Post Graduate Department of History, Sambalpur University.

P.K. Nayak (b.1951) took his MA (1972) and Ph.D. (1983) degrees from Sambalpur University. His area of research is Orissan epigraphy and temple architecture. He has several research papers to his credit in reputed research journals. He has successfully supervised several M. Phil and Ph.D. dissertations. He is presently serving as Professor in the Post Graduate Department of History, Sambalpur University.

P.K. Behera (b. 1960) took his MA (1981) and Ph.D. (1989) degrees in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology from Banaras Hindu University. His area of research is prehistory and protohistory of Eastern India. He has several research publications in national and international research journals. He is presently serving as Reader in the Post Graduate Department of History, Sambalpur University.