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B Flashcards

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1
Q

Copper hoards

A

certain specific types of copper objects found in protohistoric contexts in the doab as well as in some other parts of the subcontinent

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2
Q

Core tools

A

stone tools made on cores, usually large in size

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3
Q

Cowries

A

marine shells, once used as currency in many parts of the world; in India cowries from the Maldive islands were used as currency from ancient times till the colonial period

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4
Q

Cranial capacity

A

brain size

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5
Q

Sinous

A

Many curves; Graceful winding movement

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6
Q

Chaturanga

A

Chess

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7
Q

Dakshina

A

sacrificial fee

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8
Q

Dakshinapatha

A

the great southern trade route

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9
Q

Dana

A

ritual giving

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10
Q

Darshana

A

literally, ‘view’; philosophy

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11
Q

Dhamma

A

a Pali word (Sanskrit, dharma), referring to the ideal conduct of an individual living in society

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12
Q

Dhammachakka-pavattana

A

Pali, literally ‘turning the wheel of dhamma’; the Buddha’s first sermon in the deer park near Benaras

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13
Q

Dhamma-mahamatas

A

a new cadre of officials created by Ashoka to propagate dhamma

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14
Q

Dharma

A

a Sanskrit word that is difficult to translate; the proper, ideal conduct of a person as a member of society; a course of action which leads to the fulfillment of the goals of human life.

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15
Q

Dharmashastra

A

a group of Sanskrit texts dealing specifically with dharma

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16
Q

Dharmasutras

A

the earliest Dharmashastra texts, written in the sutra (aphoristic) style

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17
Q

Diffusionist theories

A

theories which explain cultural innovation and change as a result of stimulus or influence from a point of origin

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18
Q

Digambara

A

literally ‘sky-clad’; a Jaina sect

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19
Q

Discoid core technique

A

a type of prepared core technique used to make stone tools

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20
Q

Dolmenoid cist

A

a megalithic chamber tomb that is partly underground

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21
Q

Dolmen

A

a megalithic chamber tomb that is fully above ground-level

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22
Q

Dravida

A

the southern style of temple architecture, marked, among other things, by a pyramidal shikhara (tower)

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23
Q

Dravidian

A

a family of languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada

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24
Q

Dvija

A

literally ‘twice born’; those entitled to the performance of the upanayana (sacred thread) ceremony, which is considered analogous to a second birth, viz., the upper three varnas, namely the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas

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25
Q

Early Harappan

A

the early, formative, proto-urban phase of the Harappan culture

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26
Q

Eight-fold Path

A

the path taught by the Buddha for release from suffering

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27
Q

Elementary family

A

a married couple and their children, who may or may not live together

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28
Q

Epigraphy

A

the study of inscriptions

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29
Q

Epi-palaeolithic

A

a transitional stage of stone tool making, marked by tools that are smaller than those typical of the upper palaeolithic, but smaller than microliths

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30
Q

Ethno-archaeology

A

a branch of archaeology that studies the behaviour and practices of living communities in order to interpret the archaeological evidence related to communities who lived in the past

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31
Q

Extended burial

A

a burial in which the body is laid out in an extended position

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32
Q

Extended family

A

two or more elementary families (or parts of them) joined together

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33
Q

Factory site

A

a place where tools were made

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34
Q

Faunal analysis

A

the analysis of animal bones

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35
Q

Feudalism school

A

with reference to early medieval India, a school that argues that this was a period of political and economic fragmentation

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36
Q

Field archaeology

A

the exploration and excavation of sites

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37
Q

Food-producing society

A

a society which meets at least half its food needs for at least part of the year through the domestication of animals and/or plants, in a context where animals and plants are not tied to their natural habitat

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38
Q

Four Noble Truths (Ariya-sachchani)

A

an important part of the Buddha’s teaching, viz., there is suffering; it has a cause; it can be eliminated; and the way to eliminate it is to follow the Eight-fold Path

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39
Q

Fractional burial

A

the burial of disaggregated bones

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40
Q

Gahapati

A

Pali for Sanskrit grihapati

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41
Q

Gaja-Lakshmi

A

a popular representation of the goddess Lakshmi, flanked by two elephants, sometimes holding jars in their trunks

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42
Q

Gana

A

a word which has many meanings, including an oligarchy

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43
Q

Garbha-griha

A

the inner sanctum of a temple, where the image of the main deity is placed and worshipped

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44
Q

Garuda

A

a fantastic bird, the vehicle of Vishnu

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45
Q

Genus

A

an assemblage of related species

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46
Q

Gotra

A

the clan system of the Brahmanas; sometimes also applicable to non-Brahmanas

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47
Q

Grantha script

A

a South Indian script used for writing Sanskrit

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48
Q

Grihastha

A

the householder stage in the ashrama scheme

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49
Q

Hagiography

A

sacred biography

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50
Q

Handaxe

A

a roughly triangular-shaped stone tool, usually made on cores and flaked on both sides

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51
Q

Henotheism/Kathenotheism

A

a term used by Max Mller to refer to the phenomenon in the Rig Veda, where whichever deity is invoked is spoken of as a supreme god

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52
Q

Hinayana

A

literally the lesser vehicle; a set of Buddhist schools

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53
Q

Historiography

A

the construction and writing of history

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54
Q

History

A

the study of the human past; more specifically, the study of literate societies of the past

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55
Q

Holocene/Recent

A

the seventh, still-continuing epoch of the Cenozoic era; began about 10,000 ya

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56
Q

Hominid

A

species similar to humans

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57
Q

Homo erectus

A

a hominid species that had a fully erect posture

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58
Q

Homo habilis

A

literally hand-using man; a hominid species

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59
Q

Homo sapiens neanderthalis

A

a species of Homo sapiens that became extinct

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60
Q

Homo sapiens

A

thinking man; anatomically modern humans

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61
Q

Household

A

people who share a common residence

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62
Q

Hundikas

A

bills of exchange used by traders in early medieval India

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63
Q

Indo-European

A

a family of languages that includes Sanskrit, the modern north Indian languages, and many other languages of Asia and Europe

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64
Q

Indo-Aryan

A

a sub-group of the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family of languages

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65
Q

Indo-Aryans

A

speakers of Indo-Aryan languages

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66
Q

In situ

A

in its original place

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67
Q

Industry

A

comprises similar artefacts made of the same material found at a site

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68
Q

Inhumation

A

burial

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69
Q

Janapada

A

literally, foothold of a tribe; a territorial state; a region consisting of urban and rural settlements, along with its inhabitants

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70
Q

Jatakas

A

one of the 15 books of the Khuddaka Nikaya, containing stories of the previous births of the Buddha

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71
Q

Jati

A

a word with several meanings including caste, birth, and type.

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72
Q

Jina

A

literally victor; a Jaina saint

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73
Q

Jiva

A

a word with many meanings in different traditions; in the context of Jaina philosophy, variously translated as sentient essence, life monad, or soul

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74
Q

Kani rights

A

rights over land in early medieval South India, sometimes also associated with certain duties and obligations

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75
Q

Kara-shasanas

A

tax-paying agraharas

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76
Q

Karma

A

the doctrine according to which actions have consequences that manifest themselves in present and future lives

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77
Q

Kharoshthi

A

an ancient script prevalent in the north-west

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78
Q

Kinship society

A

a pre-state society in which kinship is central

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79
Q

Kottam

A

settlement clusters in the Pallava kingdom, similar to the nadus

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80
Q

Kraya-shasana

A

a secular land-sale deed

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81
Q

Kshatra

A

secular power

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82
Q

Kshatrapa

A

a viceroy or subordinate ruler of the Scytho-Parthians; a title assumed by kings of the Kshaharata and Kardamaka dynasties

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83
Q

Kshatriya

A

the varna associated with warfare and rulership

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84
Q

Kula

A

a word with a range of meanings, including an extended patrilineal family

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85
Q

Language

A

spoken symbols of communication

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86
Q

Late Harappan

A

the post-urban phase of the Harappan culture

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87
Q

Levallois technique

A

an advanced technique of making flake tools by first preparing the core

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88
Q

Lineage

A

a group of unilineal kin

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89
Q

Linga

A

a phallic emblem of the god Shiva

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90
Q

Literary sources

A

texts, written or oral

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91
Q

Logo-syllabic script

A

a script in which each symbol stands for a word or syllable

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92
Q

Lokayata

A

an atheistic materialist philosophical school, also known as Charvaka

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93
Q

Lower palaeolithic

A

the earliest part of the palaeolithic age, which ranged between about 2 mya to 100,000 ya

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94
Q

Madhyamaka

A

a major Mahayana school founded by Nagarjuna, in which the idea of shunyata (emptiness) is of great importance

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95
Q

Mahajanapadas

A

the great states of the 6th century BCE

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96
Q

Mahakshatrapa

A

viceroy, subordinate ruler; a title assumed by some kings of the Kshaharata and Kardamaka dynasties

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97
Q

Mahayana

A

literally the greater vehicle, a set of Buddhist schools

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98
Q

Mandapika

A

a local centre of exchange, in between small periodic markets and larger trade centres

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99
Q

Manigramam

A

a powerful merchant guild of early medieval South India

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100
Q

Manuscripts

A

books or documents written by hand

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101
Q

Matha

A

monastery

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102
Q

Matriarchy

A

a social system in which dominant power and authority within the family is vested in women

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103
Q

Matrilineal system

A

a unilineal kinship system recognizing descent though the mother

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104
Q

Mature Harappan

A

the urban phase of the Harappan culture

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105
Q

Megalithic cultures

A

cultural remains found in the megaliths and at the habitation sites associated with them

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106
Q

Megaliths

A

monuments made of large, roughly-dressed slabs of stone

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107
Q

Menhir

A

a type of megalithic burial, marked by a single, large, standing stone

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108
Q

Mesolithic

A

Holocene stone age cultures, marked by the use of microliths, usually with a hunting-gathering subsistence base

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109
Q

Metrology

A

the measurement and arrangement of coins by weight

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110
Q

Microliths

A

tiny stone tools, ranging in length from under 1 cm to 5 cm

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111
Q

Microwear analysis

A

the study of wear marks on tools in order to understand their function

112
Q

Middle palaeolithic

A

the middle part of the palaeolithic age, ranging between about 100,000 to 40,000 ya

113
Q

Mithuna figures

A

amorous couples that occur often in the sculptural decoration of shrines

114
Q

Moksha

A

liberation from the cycle of birth and death

115
Q

Monogamy

A

a system in which a person has one spouse at a time

116
Q

Monolatory

A

a belief in a supreme god while acknowledging the existence of other gods

117
Q

Monotheism

A

a belief that there is only one god

118
Q

Mukhamandapa

A

the porch of a temple

119
Q

Multi-lineal system/cognatic system

A

a system which recognizes descent both through the mother and the father

120
Q

Nadu

A

the locality, consisting of several settlements, in early medieval South India

121
Q

Nagara style

A

the northern style of temple architecture, marked, among other things, by a curvilinear shikara (tower)

122
Q

Nagarakkani

A

land owned and managed by the nagaram

123
Q

Nagarams

A

market or commercial centres in early medieval South India

124
Q

Nagarattar

A

the corporate organization of the nagaram

125
Q

Nagas

A

male serpent deities

126
Q

Nagis/Naginis

A

female serpent deities, consorts of the nagas

127
Q

Nalayira Divya Prabandham

A

a work by Nathamuni, containing the hymns of the Alvar saints

128
Q

Nastika schools

A

philosophical schools that did not accept the authority of the Vedas, e.g., Buddhism, Jainism, and Charvaka

129
Q

Nataraja

A

The dancing Shiva

130
Q

Nattar

A

the leading men of the nadu (locality) in early medieval South India

131
Q

Nayanmars/Nayanars

A

The Shaiva saint-poets of early medieval South India

132
Q

Negative feedback food procurement systems

A

food procurement systems which involve a balanced exploitation and use of food resources within an area and which discourage any change

133
Q

Neolithic revolution

A

a phrase coined by V. Gordon Childe in order to highlight the great significance of the changes ushered in by the neolithic age

134
Q

Neolithic

A

food-producing stone age cultures, marked by ground and polished stone tools

135
Q

New Archaeology

A

a trend that emerged in archaeology in the 1960s; represented by the processual school

136
Q

Nibbana

A

a term used often in the Buddhist tradition for liberation from the cycle of birth and death

137
Q

Nitishastra - Kamadak

A

Sanskrit works on statecraft

138
Q

Niyoga

A

levirate; the ancient custom of a widow cohabiting with her brother-in-law or another man in order to produce sons

139
Q

Northern Black Polished Ware (NBP or NBPW)

A

a distinctive type of fine pottery with a glossy surface, made and used between c. 700 and 200 BCE

140
Q

Numismatics

A

the study of coins

141
Q

Nyaya

A

a philosophical school concerned primarily with logic and epistemology

142
Q

Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP)

A

a protohistoric pottery type found at several sites in the doab

143
Q

Orthostats

A

vertical slabs in a megalithic chamber tomb

144
Q

Painted Grey Ware (PGW)

A

a distinctive type of fine, grey pottery with designs painted on in black, made and used in parts of north India between c. 1000 and 500 BCE

145
Q

Palaeo-anthropologists

A

scholars who study the biological and cultural evolution of early humans

146
Q

Palaeo-botanical studies

A

the analysis of ancient pollen and other minute plant remains, seeds, charcoal, sediments, and geological strata

147
Q

Palaeo-channel

A

an old course of a river

148
Q

Palaeolithic

A

the earliest and longest part of the stone age, corresponding with the Pleistocene geological era

149
Q

Palaeo-magnetic method

A

a dating method used in archaeology

150
Q

Palaeontology

A

the study of the remains of dead organisms across enormous spans of time

151
Q

Palaeo-pathology

A

the study of disease through an analysis of ancient bone remains

152
Q

Pali

A

an ancient language belonging to the Indo-European family of languages; the language of the canon of the Theravada school

153
Q

Palynology

A

the analysis of pollen and spores

154
Q

Paramitas

A

perfections whose attainment led to the bodhisattva path; a Mahayana idea

155
Q

Paribbajaka

A

Pali, literally, wanderer, renunciant

156
Q

Pariharas

A

exemptions and privileges granted to donees in royal land grants

157
Q

Parinibbana

A

the passing away of the Buddha

158
Q

Patichcha-samuppada

A

Pali, the law of dependent origination; a part of the Buddhas teaching

159
Q

Patriarchy

A

a social system in which males (usually the eldest of them) exercise dominant power and authority within the family

160
Q

Patrilineal/Agnatic system

A

a unilineal kinship system which recognizes descent relationships through the father

161
Q

Pebble tools

A

tools made on pebbles, in which only the working edge is flaked

162
Q

Periyapuranam

A

A 12th century work containing hagiographies of the Nayanmar saints

163
Q

Petroglyph

A

created when some substance of a rock surface is removed through engraving, bruising, hammering, chiselling, or scooping

164
Q

Pit circle

A

a type of megalithic burial, marked by a circle of large stones

165
Q

Plant domestication

A

the process of selective breeding of plants, which involves removing them from their natural habitat and growing them under artificial conditions under human control for purposes of human gain

166
Q

Plate tectonics

A

the movement of massive tectonic plates embedded within the earth

167
Q

Pleistocene

A

the sixth epoch of the Cenozoic age; began about 1.6 mya

168
Q

Polyandry

A

a system in which a woman can have several husbands

169
Q

Polygamy

A

a system in which one person can have more than one spouse at the same time

170
Q

Polygyny

A

a system in which a man can have several wives

171
Q

Polytheism

A

a belief in many gods

172
Q

Positive feedback food procurement systems

A

food procurement systems where the productivity of resources increases as a result of human interference and exploitation

173
Q

Post-excarnate burial

A

the practice where the bones of a dead person are collected and buried after the body is de-fleshed, for instance, by exposing it to the elements

174
Q

Post-processualism

A

a school of archaeology that challenged many of the assumptions, methods, and goals of processualism, and had a more complex and nuanced understanding of material culture

175
Q

Prakrit

A

an ancient language belonging to the Indo-European family of languages, with various dialects such as Maharashtri, Shauraseni, and Magadhi

176
Q

Pramanas

A

grounds of knowledge

177
Q

Prashasti

A

panegyric

178
Q

Pravara

A

the names of one, two, three, or five supposed ancestral rishis, connected with the gotra system of the Brahmanas

179
Q

Prehistory

A

the past before the advent of writing; the stone age

180
Q

Prestations

A

obligatory exchanges between groups of people, involving material as well as non-material items

181
Q

Primary burials

A

burials in which the body was directly buried in the ground

182
Q

Primary/Palaeozoic era

A

the first of the four geological eras

183
Q

Pristine state

A

a state which emerges from indigenous stimuli, usually with no pre-existing models

184
Q

Processualism/Processual archaeology

A

a school of archaeology which tried to understand cultures and cultural processes holistically and emphasized the importance of explanation, generalization, and theory-building

185
Q

Protohistory

A

a term used in different senses; a segment of the past that is transitional between prehistory and history

186
Q

Purohita

A

Chief Minister in Arthashastra

187
Q

Puram

A

war poems of the Sangam corpus

188
Q

Purva Mimamsa

A

a school of Vedic exegesis- veda right

189
Q

Quaternary

A

the fourth of the four geological eras

190
Q

Rouletted ware

A

a pottery with a smooth surface and usually a metallic lustre, with concentric bands of rouletted designs, found especially in eastern and south-eastern India; once thought to be a foreign ware, now considered locally produced

191
Q

Rusticated ware

A

pottery whose surface is roughened with a thick slurry of clay

192
Q

Sabha

A

a tribal assembly mentioned in Vedic texts; the assembly of a Brahmana village in early medieval South India

193
Q

Salvage archaeology

A

identifying endangered sites and saving them from destruction

194
Q

Samana

A

a Pali word (Sanskrit shramana); literally, one who strives, a renunciant

195
Q

Samanta

A

subordinate ruler; feudatory

196
Q

Samhita

A

a collection of hymns, associated with the Vedas

197
Q

Samkhya

A

a very ancient philosophical school which views the world as consisting of two fundamental categories of purusha (the spiritual principle) and prakriti (matter or nature)

198
Q

Samskaras

A

literally preparation, arrangement; rituals marking important life stages

199
Q

Sandhara *

A

a temple style with an enclosed passage for circumambulation

200
Q

Sangam literature

A

texts in old Tamil, comprising the earliest parts of the Ettutokai, Pattuppattu, and Tolkappiyam

201
Q

Sangha

A

a word with many different meanings including oligarchy, the Buddhist monastic order, and the Jaina monastic order

202
Q

Sannyasa

A

the stage of complete renunciation in the ashrama scheme

203
Q

Sanskritization

A

an idea developed by the sociologist M. N. Srinivas, referring to a tendency of lower castes to imitate and adopt norms and practices of the upper castes in order to improve their ranking in the caste hierarchy - imitate the brahmin by shudra

204
Q

Sapindas

A

people who are held to be related to each other, an important category in Dharmashastra discussions on rules of marriage, inheritance, and rules of purity and impurity to be observed among relatives when a person died

205
Q

Saptanga rajya

A

literally the seven-limbed state, the Arthashastra concept of the state as consisting of seven elements

206
Q

Sarcophagus burial

A

a burial in which the funerary remains are placed in a terracotta trough

207
Q

Script

A

writing; a system of visual communication using signs or symbols associated with specific meanings or sounds, written on some surface

208
Q

Secondary burials

A

the practice of removing the remains of a corpse from one grave after some time and re-burying them in another grave

209
Q

Secondary state

A

a state which has the model of an already-existing state before it, and which emerges as a result of interaction with this already-existing (pristine) state

210
Q

Secondary/Mesozoic:

A

the second of the four geological eras

211
Q

Segmentary state

A

a state marked by the segmentation of power; originally put forward by Southall with reference to the African Alur tribe, subsequently applied by Stein to the states of early medieval South India

212
Q

Setthi

A

Pali (Sanskrit sreshthin); a high-level businessman associated with trade and money-lending

213
Q

Shakha

A

a recension of a Veda

214
Q

Shivaism (Shaivism)

A

the worship of Shiva as a supreme god

215
Q

Shudra

A

the fourth varna, which was supposed to serve the upper three varnas

216
Q

Shruti

A

literally that which has been heard, the Veda

217
Q

Shvetambara

A

literally white-clad, a Jaina sect

218
Q

Siddhamatrika

A

an ancient script, known from the 6th century CE; also known as Kutila

219
Q

Site

A

a place where there are artefacts or any material remains of past human activity

220
Q

Slip

A

a coating on pottery

221
Q

Smriti

A

literally remembered texts; a category of Sanskrit texts that includes the Vedangas, Puranas, epics, Dharmashastras, and Nitishastra

222
Q

Species/Specie

A

organisms that are similar in physical structure and behaviour, and which inter-breed with each other, or could do so if they had access to each other

223
Q

State society

A

a society which is stratified and whose polity is marked by the existence of a state

224
Q

Stratigraphic context

A

the precise archaeological level at which an object is found

225
Q

Stri-dhana

A

womens wealth; various types of moveable property given to a woman on various occasions during her life-time, passed on from mother to daughter

226
Q

Syadavada

A

literally doctrine of maybe; the Jaina doctrine of the partial nature of all statements about reality

227
Q

Tamil-Brahmi

A

an ancient script of South India, consisting of an adaptation of the Brahmi script in order to write the Tamil language

228
Q

Taniyur*

A

a special status given to certain brahmadeyas in early medieval South India, making them independent of the nadu wherein they were located

229
Q

Terra sigilatta

A

moulded, decorated wares as well as undecorated, wheel-made ones made in Italy or imitations thereof; earlier referred to as Arretine ware - arikamaedu has found italian wares

230
Q

Tertiary

A

the third of the four geological eras

231
Q

Tevaram

A

a collection of hymns, part of the canon of South Indian Shaiva bhakti - alvar

232
Q

Thermoluminescence

A

a scientific method used in archaeology to date inorganic material that has been heated rapidly, e.g., pottery

233
Q

Tipitaka

A

Pali, literally the three baskets or three collections, Buddhist canonical texts; the Pali Tipitaka is the canon of the Theravada school
sutta pitika, advikanm pitika, vinaya pitaka

234
Q

Tirthankara

A

literally, ford builder; a Jaina saint

235
Q

Tirumurai

A

the canon of South Indian Shaiva bhakti

236
Q

Tiruttondar-Tiruvantai

A

a work by Nambi Andar Nambi, which gives a short hagiography of the Nayanmar saints

237
Q

Tiruttondar-Tokai

A

a work by Sundarar, which lists 62 Nayanmar saints

238
Q

Torana

A

the gateway of a shrine

239
Q

Transepts

A

vertical stone slabs that divide a megalithic chamber tomb into sections

240
Q

Tribe

A

a term that is difficult to define precisely; comprises a number of related clans

241
Q

Triratna

A

literally, the three gems; in Jainism, refers to the triple path of right faith, knowledge, and conduct

242
Q

Unchambered tomb

A

a megalithic grave which does not have a chamber

243
Q

Unilineal kinship systems

A

kinship systems which recognize descent relationships through either the father or the mother

244
Q

Upanishads

A

philosophical texts that are part of the Vedic corpus

245
Q

Upasaka

A

a male lay follower of the Buddhas teaching

246
Q

Upasika

A

a female lay follower of the Buddhas teaching

247
Q

Upper Palaeolithic

A

the latest part of the palaeolithic age, ranging between about 40,000 to 10,000 ya

248
Q

Uttara Mimamsa

A

also known as Vedanta; a philosophical school that emphasized the path of knowledge as opposed to that of works or sacrifice

249
Q

Ur

A

a non-brahmadeya village of South India; the corporate assembly of such a village

250
Q

Uttarapatha

A

the major trans-regional trade route of northern India <>Dakshinapatha

251
Q

Vaisheshika

A

a philosophical school of pluralistic realism - followers of science and multiple realties

252
Q

Vaishya

A

the varna associated with agriculture, animal husbandry, and trade

253
Q

Vanaprastha

A

the stage of partial renunciation in the ashrama scheme

254
Q

Varaha

A

the boar incarnation of the god Vishnu - udaigiri hills ,temple- chandragupta 2’s personal temple

255
Q

Varna

A

literally colour; the concept of four hereditary classesBrahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra

256
Q

Varna-samkara

A

the mixture of varnas due to inter-varna unions

257
Q

Vassavasa*

A

the monsoon retreat of Buddhist monks

258
Q

Vatteluttu**

A

An ancient South Indian script used for writing Tamil

259
Q

Vedanga

A

literally limbs of the Veda, auxiliary texts associated with the Vedas

260
Q

Vedas

A

four ancient Sanskrit texts, namely the Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Atharva Veda

261
Q

Velir

A

chieftains of South India

262
Q

Vellala/Vellalar

A

cultivating groups of South India

263
Q

Vellanvagai*

A

non-brahmadeya villages of early medieval South India; same as ur

264
Q

Vendar

A

the three crowned kings of early historical South India, i.e., the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas

265
Q

Vesara

A

a style of temple architecture which has a blend of elements associated with the Nagara and Dravida styles; also referred to as Karnata-Dravida - Middles of north and south

266
Q

Vihara

A

a Buddhist monastery

267
Q

Vimana

A

the sanctum of a temple and its superstructure

268
Q

Viragal

A

the word for a hero stone in the Tamil Nadu area

269
Q

Vishnuism (Vaishnavism)

A

the worship of Vishnu as a supreme god

270
Q

Yajamana

A

the person for whom the yajna (sacrifice) is performed and who bears its expenses

271
Q

Yajna

A

sacrifice

272
Q

Yakshas

A

deities associated with water, fertility, trees, forests, and the wilderness

273
Q

Yakshis

A

female deities associated with fertility, consorts of yakshas

274
Q

Yavana

A

Greeks, foreigners from the West - favours red-chillie fav

275
Q

Yoga

A

a philosophical school which aimed at focusing the mind to achieve complete tranquility and control

276
Q

Yogachara

A

a major Mahayana school which attached great importance to meditation as a means of attaining the highest goal

277
Q

Yupa

A

sacrificial post

Ancient History (5 decks)

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