THE STUDY OF THE STRATIGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY, AND URBAN PLANNING CULTURE OF KUSHAN-PERIOD SITES IN INDIAN AND PAKISTANI ARCHAEOLOGY

Abstract

This thesis examines the principal scholarly and methodological approaches to the study of the stratigraphy, topography, and urban planning characteristics of Kushan-period archaeological sites in South Asian archaeology. Drawing on archaeological research conducted in India and Pakistan, particular attention is given to the sequence of cultural strata, the establishment of chronological boundaries based on ceramic and numismatic evidence, the topographical organization of urban settlements, defensive structures, religious and architectural complexes, and water-supply systems. The scholarly approaches of researchers such as A. Ghosh, B.B. Lal, R.C. Sharma, B.N. Puri, A.H. Dani, F.A. Durrani, S.R. Dar, M.S. Khan, M.R. Mughal, Ihsan Ali, and M. Nazir Khan are reviewed and synthesized, highlighting their significance for the comprehensive study of urbanization during the Kushan period