Mauryan Intervention in the Deccan: A Study of Archaeological Data

Examining the Mauryan presence in the Deccan through archaeological data

Abstract

The Mauryan rule which covered the entire subcontinent is considered to be an important development in the history of the subcontinent. Centred around the Magadha, it was the first empire to cover the entire subcontinent. In the current historiography, it has been argued that it encouraged secondary state formation in the new regions like Deccan and Kalinga (Orissa). In this paper, we focus on the Deccan, review the archaeological data for the Mauryan presence, and determine whether it is in consonance with the existing theories or not. Further, we also attempt to suggest some new data that may be correlated with their presence.