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Excavating the eternal: an indigenous archaeological tradition in India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Michael A. Cremo
Michael A. Cremo*
Affiliation:
*Bhaktivedanta Institute, 9710 Venice Blvd. # 5, Los Angeles, CA 90034, USA (Email: mcremo@cs.com)
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Extract

Archaeological investigation in India begins conventionally with the interest of Europeans. But India's own historical texts reveal examples of indigenous, curiosity-driven fieldwork as early as the sixteenth century. Describing the systematic search for lost sacred images and sites in places associated with Krishna's earthly pastimes, the author makes a spirited case for regarding this activity as real archaeology, comparing it with today's heritage projects.

Keywords

IndiaVrindavanHinduindigenous archaeologyVaishnava
Type
Research article
Information
Antiquity , Volume 82 , Issue 315 , March 2008 , pp. 178 - 188
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd 2008

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