A Historical Overview of the Human-Elephant Relationship in Assam

From Ancient Times to the Contemporary Period

Abstract

Elephants have been found in abundance in north-east India with many ancient sources referring to the procurement of elephants from this area. The trend of elephants being used by royalty mostly for war purposes was carried forward to the medieval period. After the arrival of the British, the utility of elephants shifted from war to timber as carriers but their importance remained undiminished. This paper explores the relationship between humans and elephants in Assam from the ancient to the colonial periods and the humanelephant conflict that plagues many areas of Assam in contemporary times