Journal of Indian Ocean Archaeology (No.5, 2008)

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had thought that this one would be quick, but one realizes that the minute preoccupations of research, editing and scholarly interchange make for a strange diurnal pace. Nothing happens before its time. What matters is that the fifth number of the Journal (JIOA 2008) has finally seen the light of day.

The Journal carries its first article on a prehistoric event in the Indian Ocean. This contribution. from a team of researchers belonging to the Institute of Technology (Bandung, Indonesia) and the University of Notre Dame (USA) focuses upon homonid migrations and climate change at the site of Sangiran, Java. Satyamurthy reports on the remains of a 7th century temple at Mamallapuram, the ancient Pallava port. The foundations of the temple were revealed when the tsunami of 2004 washed away tonnes of accumulated sand that had hidden the temple foundations for centuries. Through his excavations, Satyamurthy presents data for at least two earlier tsunamis which struck the temple in ancient times. Rajan writes on the cultural relationship between south India and Sri Lanka in the BCE-CL transition. While the theme is not new, even for Rojan, the article offers some fresh insights based on new evidence of coins and ceramics. Rita Dutta and Asok Dutta have discussed the port-site of Chandraketugarh in lower Bengal in terms of contact with Southeast Asia in the early centuries CE. Mehdi Mortazavi and Fariba Mosapur Negari report on their 'systematic survey of the proto-historic site of Bampur in Iranian Siestan. Bampur lay on the crucial crossroads connecting the Persian Gulf with the Indus Valley Vasant Shinde and his team Investigate the Harappan site of Podri on the Gujarat coast, projecting it as a proto-historic salt manufacturing centre. Mapunda reviews the evidence for participation of Early Iron Age communities of eastern Africa in Indian Ocean trade networks. Ajit Kumar presents a case for the location of Nelcynda, a major port of trade on the Malabar coast mentioned In the Greek sea guide Periplus Maris Erythrael and other Greco-Roman texts.

The notes and news section contains some exciting and varied contributions. Sidebotham has summarized his 2009 excavation season at the great harbour of Berenike on the Egyptian Red Sea coast. Special focus is upon artefactual finds originating from the Indian subcontinent. Gaur has an article on Piram Island in the Gulf of Khambat and its role as a pirate stronghold. Gogte and others present evidence of unique animal petroglyphs along the Konkan coast. Katonis puts forward the idea of an interdisciplinary project bringing together classics, linguistics, history and archaeology. The book reviews range from publications on ancient Oman, Dwarka waters and surprisingly, the Bengali translation of the Periplus Maris Erythraei.