The book Protohistoric Cultures of Tungabhadra Valley, Dr. Nagaraja Rao reports the revealing results of his excavations at the ancient site of Hallur, on the bank of the Tungabhadra in Mysore State. The excavations have provided a clear picture of life from the Neolithic times to the time of early introduction of iron in the Mysore region in South India. The radio-carbon dates for the site show that this time span extended from about 1800 B.C. to 1000 B.C. In the words of Dr. F.R. Allchin, an authority on Indian Archaeology, of Cambridge University, “among the many striking discoveries, we need only mention three: the radio-carbon dating for the introduction of iron at Hallur to the very beginning of the first millennium B.C., if not before; the discovery of equine remains during the final phase of the preceding period (suggestively pointing towards the arrival of new elements of population from far to the north); and the discovery of Ragi (Eleusine coracana), proving that this grain was already used as a foodstuff during the second millennium B.C.” The report also has contributions by two experts on animal and plant remains, which has enhanced the value of the report. Dr. K.R. Alur, an expert in veterinary science, has studied the animal remains while Dr. Vishnu Mittre of the famous Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobatany, has reported on plant remains.