Filling a distinct gap in the reference literature of archaeology, this bibliography provides an introduction to the vast and varied literature produced by the practice of archaeology in the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka since the early 19th Century. The annotated entries are arranged geographically by contemporary political subdivisions, with now-vanished native states and jurisdictions from the days of the British Raj cross-referenced to the modern subdivision. Within each section, entries are arranged chronologically, permitting the user to trace the inception and development of archaeological field survey and investigation regionally.

Summarizing the contents of each title, the annotations place the titles within the broader context of South Asian archaeological scholarship. An appendix lists the major Pakistani, Sri Lankan, and Indian legislation regulating the conservation and preservation of archaeological sites and artifacts and the antiquities trade. The bibliography places emphasis on works in English or other Western languages that are located easily outside of South Asia.