{"product_id":"9781538190210","title":"Empires of the Southern Ocean: Early Civilizations of Mainland and Insular Southeast Asia","description":"Author: O'Reilly, Dougald J.W.\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 9781538190210\u003cbr\u003ePublisher: Bloomsbury\u003cbr\u003eYear first published: 28 May 2026\u003cbr\u003ePages: 416\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Paperback \/ softback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eDrawing on recent archaeological and historical research, this book presents the fascinating developments in the archaeology of prehistoric societies of mainland Southeast Asia.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eEmpires of the Southern Ocean\u003c\/i\u003e offers a sweeping and authoritative account of the emergence, expansion, and transformation of early state-level societies across the regions that today encompass Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Spanning from the late prehistoric period to the mid-15th century, the book traces the dynamic rise of polities that shaped Southeast Asia's early urban and political landscapes, including the Pyu and Pagan in Myanmar; the entrep  t settlements of peninsular Malaysia; Srivijaya, Sanjaya, and Majapahit in Indonesia; Funan, Chenla, and Angkor in Cambodia; Dvaravati in Thailand; and Linyi, Champa, and  Iai Viet in Vietnam.\u003cbr\u003eDrawing on the most current archaeological, epigraphic, and paleoenvironmental research, the book challenges outdated, India-centric narratives and instead presents a nuanced understanding of Southeast Asia's indigenous political developments, cross-cultural exchanges, and technological innovations. It highlights the region's participation in long-distance trade networks across the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, and examines the role of religion, writing systems, and monumental architecture in legitimizing early power structures.\u003cbr\u003eThe volume includes a chapter on models of political development theory, critically examining how concepts such as heterarchy, segmentary states, and \u003ci\u003emandala\u003c\/i\u003e systems apply   or fail to apply   to the Southeast Asian context. This theoretical grounding informs the subsequent case studies, offering readers a framework for understanding the diverse pathways to complexity taken by early Southeast Asian polities.\u003cbr\u003eCombining detailed regional studies with broader comparative insights, \u003ci\u003eEmpires of the Southern Ocean\u003c\/i\u003e is essential reading for anyone interested in the complex trajectories of early state formation in Southeast Asia and the interconnected histories of the ancient world.","brand":"Ships in 10 to 15 days","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47839616434334,"sku":"UBD-9781538190210","price":109.78,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0400\/9043\/5742\/files\/9781538190210.jpg?v=1781075624","url":"https:\/\/classicbargains.com.au\/products\/9781538190210","provider":"Classic Bargains Australia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}