Mathura

by Vijaya Laxmi Singh

Studies in early Indian Urbanization particularly with a view to examining the settlement pattern and social structure of an individual urban centre are rare in south Asian Archaeology. The present study has been undertaken to understand the special aspect of Mathura`s early growth and culture and its socio political and economic history. Drawing on the archaeological studies and also on the text and inscriptions it explores the character of Mathura as a city.The study shows that the settlements were usually adjacent to river courses in the PGW and NBP periods, but in the Sunga and the Saka Kusana periods several sites were not near any natural water source indicating that with the development of technology site location may be based on factors other than topography and environment. Vijaya Laxmi Singh graduated in History from the prestigious Patna Women`s College Patna. She obtained M.A. and M.Phil degrees from Delhi University and Ph. D. from Jawaharlal Nehru Univerisity, Delhi. She is currently Reader in a Delhi University College. Her first monograph Ujjayini: A Numismatic and Epigraphic study was published in 2000.