The Aryan: Recasting Constructs (PB)

To identify the Aryan is to search for that which remains elusive. There have been many definitions based on multiple and diverse factors and there are therefore inevitable disagreements about both the identification and the meaning of the concept. It is probably the most complex question in early Indian history and it requires considerable expertise in the interpretation of the evidence which ranges from ecology to philology.

This collection of essays, written over some years, explores these aspects of the theme in a way that furthers our understanding of an early period of Indian history. The constituents that went into the concept have changed from race, ethnicity and elements of nationality to language, status and culture. This has involved recasting the constructs and has inevitably been controversial. The essays explain how the constructs came to be formulated, why they changed and what might be more meaningful interrogations of this history.

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

1. The Historiography of the Concept of ‘Aryan’

2. Some Appropriations of the Theory of Aryan Race and the Beginnings of Indian History

3. Exploring Societies of the Early Past

4. The Rigveda: Encapsulating Social Change

5. The Archaeological Background to the Agnicayana Ritual

Includes bibliography, index and map.