Archaeology deals with research and interpretation of past human lives on this planet. The reconstruction of the human past is mostly done based on the material remains left during the bygone ages. In this reconstruction, various scientific disciplines contribute enormously and have emerged as the most effective tools. Realising the potential of modern scientific aids in archaeology, the Archaeological Sciences Centre was set up at IITGN in December 2012 to provide a bridge between archaeologists and scientific community, to aid and support research, and to understand our past so as to serve the future in a better manner.
The Centre was established with the twin objectives of establishing state-of-the-art facilities for use of the archaeological community at large and conducting its own research in scientific aspects of archaeology. It thus situates itself at the intersection of humanities and scientific disciplines.
The team at the Centre is working on various research projects and has also collaborated with leading archaeological entities such as Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, MS University, Baroda, Deccan College, Pune, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, and Oklahoma University. The Centre’s faculty have so far published four single-author books, two edited books, nine book chapters and 16 journals papers.
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Research Projects
- Multidisciplinary investigations at the Harappan site of Dholavira (Rann of Kutch): bead-drilling technology, ceramics, microblades, water management system, town-planning
- (With Earth Sciences) Morphodynamics of Markanda Valley (Himachal Pradesh) using chronology and sediment provenance of fluvial terraces near Harappa sites
- INTACH-sponsored project on “Mapping Purdalpur: The Final Stage of one of the most Predominant Glass Bead Industry of the World”
- Archaeological investigations at the Harappan site of Bhagatrav (Bharuch district of south Gujarat)
- The cultural identity of the Nagas vis-à-vis their origin
- Early iron metallurgical techniques in Vidarbha (Maharashtra)
- (With Electrical Engineering) Proposal on 3D laser scanning, with applications to the fingerprinting of antiquities (sanctioned by DST)
- (With Earth Sciences and Civil Engineering) Proposal to investigate the impact of sea level fluctuations, climate change or tectonic activity on the decline of the Harappan settlement of Dholavira (sanctioned by DST)
- (With Earth Sciences and Civil Engineering) Proposal to conduct a multi-sensor 3D drone survey of Dholavira (sanctioned by ASI)
Collaborations
- With Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for joint projects and programs; the Centre has signed two MoUs with ASI.
- With Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.
- With many leading archaeologists in India and abroad, archaeology departments in MS University, Baroda, and Deccan College, Pune, for their guidance, expertise and collaborative research projects.
- With the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, and Oklahoma University (though Dr. Alok Kanungo) for investigations into the source materials for glass manufacturing in ancient India.
Programmes
Over 12 leading archaeologists and other scholars delivered lectures to varied audiences. The following workshops/conferences were conducted, some of them international, and often in collaboration with ASI:
- Applications of Remote Sensing to Archaeology (2014)
- Archaeometallurgy and Archaeology (2014)
- History and Archaeology of Ancient India (2015)
- History, Science & Technology of Stone Beads (2015).
- Dialogue of Civilizations, jointly organized by National Geographic Society and ASI (2017)
- Elemental Analysis with ICP-MS and Isotopic Analyses with MC-ICP-MS and TIMS (2018)
- History, Science and Technology of Ancient Indian Glass IIT Gandhinagar (January 2019)
