This volume brings together twenty-three papers contributed by twenty-seven authors who have carried out research on the interactions between Southeast Asia and South Asia in the period between 500 bce and ce 1500. Though there has been much debate on the nature of these interactions, the volume begins with an introduction to the question of whether Southeast Asia was ‘Indianised’ before ‘Indianisation’. As recent archaeological findings have pushed back the period of ‘Indianisation’ prior to the Common Era, the introductory paper provides an overview to the rest of the volume.

Beyond the introductory chapter by Manguin, the remaining chapters of the volume are divided into two large sections. The ten papers in Part I relate to the new archaeological evidence from South Asia and Southeast Asia. The papers draw on archaeological evidence that has been unearthed on both sides of the Bay of Bengal in recent years. Part II, consisting of thirteen papers, addresses the issue of localisation of South Asian cultures in Southeast Asia.

While more research remains to be done in this area of interactions across the Bay of Bengal, we hope that this volume is able to bring together the ongoing research and reflections in this area of study. We extend our thanks for the cooperation of all the contributors to the volume and at the same time we wish to thank Ms. Betty Tan, who helped coordinate the correspondence with all the authors. Ms Kay Lyons created the excellent index.