Title: Archaeology of early Buddhism /
Authors: Fogelin, Lars.
Publisher: AltaMira Press,
Year: 2006
Subjects: Buddhist antiquities India Vishākhapatnam (District); Monasteries India Vishākhapatnam (District); Archaeology and religion India Vishākhapatnam (District); Vishākhapatnam (India : District) Antiquities.
Abstract: "Lars Fogelin draws on historical accounts, religious documents, inscriptions, and the results of his systematic archaeological survey of Thotlakonda Monastery in southern India to examine Early Buddhist monastic life. He discovers a tension between the desired isolation of the monastery and the mutual engagement with neighbors in the Early Historic Period. He also sketches how religious architecture and the use of landscape helped to structure these relationships. Fogelin's work sheds new light on the ritual and material workings of Early Buddhism in this region and shows how archaeology can contribute to our understanding of religious practice."--BOOK JACKET.
Contents: Introduction: archaeology and early Buddhism -- A brief history of the early historic period in South Asia -- Buddhism in early historic period South Asia -- Religion, ritual, architecture, and landscape -- Thotlakonda's archaeological and environmental context -- Beyond the monastery walls -- The architectural layout and organization of Thotlakonda Monastery -- Thotlakonda Monastery in its local landscape -- Conclusion.