{"product_id":"empires-of-the-southern-ocean-dougald-j-w-oreilly-9781538190203","title":"Empires of the Southern Ocean: Early Civilizations of Mainland and Insular Southeast Asia","description":"\u003cp\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 \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\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 entrepôt settlements of peninsular Malaysia; Srivijaya, Sanjaya, and Majapahit in Indonesia; Funan, Chenla, and Angkor in Cambodia; Dvaravati in Thailand; and Linyi, Champa, and Ðai Viet in Vietnam. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\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on the most current archaeological, epigraphic, and paleoenvironmental research, the book challenges outdated, India-centric narratives and instead presents a nuanced understanding of Southeast Asia's indigenous political developments, cross-cultural exchanges, and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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\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. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Dougald J. W. O'Reilly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1538190206\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781538190203\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Bloomsbury Academic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 03\/19\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 368\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.00lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 11.02h x 8.46w x 1.00d","brand":"Dougald J. W. O'Reilly","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48137202335999,"sku":"9781538190203","price":175.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_b509186f-fe3f-4d40-a871-92cffd8c5a2b.jpg?v=1770167245","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/empires-of-the-southern-ocean-dougald-j-w-oreilly-9781538190203","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}