Mapping Interactions in the Bay of Bengal: Preliminary Insights from a Comparative Ceramic Study (2500 BCE-500 CE)

Favereau Aude1* and Saumyashree Moharana2**

The Bay of Bengal has historically served as a vibrant corridor of cultural interaction, enabling the movement of people, ideas, and material traditions between South and Southeast Asia since the Prehistoric times. These maritime and coastal connections encouraged exchanges that significantly influenced regional identities and technological developments across both the regions. With this background, this presentation explores the dynamics of cultural exchange across the Bay of Bengal from 2500 BCE-500 CE, through a comparative lens of ceramic assemblages. Pottery serves as a critical proxy for these interactions: as a pervasive element of material culture, it provides ample insights not only into the circulation of finished goods but also into the transmission of technical knowledge and the sharing of stylistic elements over long distances. Such indicators are essential for distinguishing varying degrees of socio-economic interaction between prehistoric communities over time. Drawing on comparative analysis of ceramic assemblage and an extensive literature review, this paper compares material assemblages from Mainland Southeast Asia with those of Eastern India. To provide a comprehensive perspective, these findings are triangulated with additional datasets, particularly from studies on adornments and linguistic evidence. Given the limited studies on comparative analysis of ceramic assemblages for the chosen timeframe, this study adopts a morpho-stylistic approach. By documenting vessel profiles and decorative repertoires, the paper explores the possible mutual influences, cultural entanglements, and hybridization processes at play. This comparative framework ultimately aims to address the significance of these early Bay of Bengal interactions in shaping regional exchange networks before and during the emergence of early states in both regions.