‘CENTRAL PLACE’ ASPECTS IN ARCHAEOLOGY: A STUDY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE IN MAHASTHANGARH, BANGLADESH

The aim of this paper is to understand the central place aspects of Mahasthangarh according to analyze the definition of central place theory based on political, economical and religious functions. Mahasthangarh is located in the Northern part of Bangladesh identified as Early Historic site in Bangladeshi context. Central place theory is basically a geographical theory that seeks to explain the number, size and location of human settlement in the urban system and it defines archaeological sites with a combination of political, economical and religious functions. A large number of archaeological materials observed from Mahasthangarh that indicate the central place aspects. Theoretically the Central Place Theory was followed to understand the central place context of Mahasthangarh. As a result, the cultural materials, special features and historical information indicate that Mahasthangarh witnessed more than 1000 years human activities as central place with political, economical and religious functions in a long term perspective.