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An introduction to the historical geography of Gopakṣetra, Daśārṇa, and Jejākadeśa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 December 2009

Michael D. Willis
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Extract

Emphasizing the importance of balanced geographical and historical knowledge in the late sixteenth century, Richard Hakluyt remarked: ‘Geographie and Chronologie are the sune and moone, the right eye and left eye of all history.’ In current studies of archaeology and history this emphasis remains apt, for to write a proper account of both artifacts and kings, they must be set geographi- cally in space and chronologically in time. The regions south of the River Yamunā, anciently known as Gopakṣetra, Daśārṇa, and Jejākadeśa (Maps 1 and 2), are rich in antiquarian remains, and have played an important role in the history of India, especially from the Gupta period to the time of the Muslim invasion. Their historical geography, however, has been generally ignored, and scholars have been content to describe the area simply as ‘ Central India’. The purpose of the present essay is to give an introduction to the historical geography of these provinces, and as such it can be taken as a foundation for further studies in local history and archaeology.

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Information
Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies , Volume 51 , Issue 2 , June 1988 , pp. 271 - 278
Copyright
Copyright © School of Oriental and African Studies 1988

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References

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