Great Andamanese Past and Present

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. The past alive in kitchen-middens. 3. Reconstruction and interpretation. 4. Epilogue. References. Index.

"This small volume deals with the Great Andamanese one of the most primitive negrito groups of the world. Once more numerous, they now comprise 23 individuals. While we know about their present-day culture, nothing practically is known about their past. Owing to overriding scientific concern, excavation in ancient kitchen-middens was undertaken to have light on their cultural history.

"The first half of the book contains basic information about history of the islands and islanders, ecology, problem and design of work, and notably certain specific \'material culture\' items discovered by excavations. In the second half, an attempt is made to provide answers to questions connected with past ways of life of the people.

"The concept of \'ethnological analogy\' is used as a model. The study claims a long term stability of culture in the Andamans for nearly past 2,000 years." (jacket)