Technology and identity : an ethnoarchaeological study of the social context of traditional iron-working in northern Telangana, India
Ethnoarchaeological research of indigenous iron-working in Africa and, more recently, in parts of Asia, has attempted to interpret past technology through the lives and memories of blacksmiths and smelters. In India, recent archaeological and historical research of iron-working and other forms of craft production has examined the social position of specialized craft producers within regional caste-structures. This thesis incorporates both these approaches to study traditional iron-working communities in northern Telangana, a region in south-central India. Anthropological theories of craft production and power are employed to provide a nuanced interpretation of the archaeometallurgical and ethnographic data from the study area. Medieval travelogues and colonial documents attest the presence of a thriving preindustrial iron and crucible steel-manufacturing tradition in northern Telangana. Initial archaeological and historical investigations in the region by Lowe (1989) and Jaikishan (2009) identified a significant number of sites related to early iron and crucible steel production. The Pioneering Metallurgy project of 2010 (Juleff et al., 2011) surveyed within the four districts of northern Telangana to investigate
Neogi, Tathagata
Ethnoarchaeology ; South Asia ; Iron Smelting ; India ; Telangana
Technology and identity : an ethnoarchaeological study of the social context of traditional iron-working in northern Telangana, India. Ethnoarchaeological research of indigenous iron-working in Africa and, more recently, in parts of Asia, has attempted to interpret past technology through the lives and memories of blacksmiths and smelters. In India, recent archaeological and historical research of iron-working and other forms of craft production has examined the social position of specialized craft producers within regional caste-structures. This thesis incorporates both these approaches to study traditional iron-working communities in northern Telangana, a region in south-central India. Anthropological theories of craft production and power are employed to provide a nuanced interpretation of the archaeometallurgical and ethnographic data from the study area. Medieval travelogues and colonial documents attest the presence of a thriving preindustrial iron and crucible steel-manufacturing tradition in northern Telangana. Initial archaeological and historical investigations in the region by Lowe (1989) and Jaikishan (2009) identified a significant number of sites related to early iron and crucible steel production. The Pioneering Metallurgy project of 2010 (Juleff et al., 2011) surveyed within the four districts of northern Telangana to investigate
technology identity ethnoarchaeological study social context traditional iron working northern india ethnoarchaeological indigenous iron working africa recently part asia attempt_interpret past technology life memory smelter india recent_archaeological historical iron working form craft_production examine social_position specialize craft producer within regional caste structures incorporates approach study traditional iron working community_northern region_south central india anthropological_theory craft_production power employ provide_nuanced interpretation archaeometallurgical ethnographic data study_area medieval colonial document attest presence thrive iron crucible steel manufacturing tradition northern initial archaeological_historical investigation region identify significant_number site relate early_iron crucible steel production metallurgy project survey within district northern investigate