Archaeology is about building up a picture of the past. Archaeologists piece together the mysteries of earlier cultures using clues left behind. They interpret any remains that show evidence of having been made, used, or altered by humans. Archaeologists use highly technical and scientific methods of discovery, analysis and identification to reconstruct and study men and women from the past using their material remains. The evidence is collected through fieldwork, including excavations, where clues are sought in objects, their surroundings, the ground itself and the remains of living things. The evidence is then analysed, subjected to experiment, assessed, identified, catalogued, conserved and possibly exhibited.
Archaeology is both an art and a science. It is the career for you if you are interested in the past and enjoy solving puzzles. Archaeologists need to be practical, thorough and very careful and observant. They should be able to work well as part of a team, or as a team leader. They must have a real passion for and commitment to their work, must love the outdoors and not mind roughing it out for a quest, a search, or a discovery, to find answers to questions hitherto unknown and to discover questions hitherto unasked.
EDUCATION:
The starting point for archaeology would be history. BA with History, and History Honours if the same is available would pave the way for a post graduate degree in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology or a post graduate degree in Archaeology. Most universities offer the former option and this is enough to carve out a career in archaeology. A few universities do offer full-fledged post graduate programmes in Archaeology also. Currently inviting applications is the Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, for the two year Post Graduate Diploma in Archaeology. It is open to postgraduates in
Ancient or Medieval Indian History / Archaeology / Anthropology/ Indian Classical Languages such as Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Arabic or Persian or in Geology with knowledge of Pleistocene age with minimum aggregate of 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/OBC/PH as per govt rules); upper age limit is 25 years as on July 31, 2009 (submission deadline).
PROMINENT INSTITUTIONS:
- Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
- Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra.
- H N Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar (Uttaranchal).
- Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune.
- University of Pune, Pune.
- MS University of Baroda, Vadodara.
- Calcutta University, Kolkata.
- University of Lucknow offers MA in Ancient Indian History and Archaeology.
- Archaeological Survey of India, Institute of Archaeology, New Delhi.
EMPLOYABILITY
Archaeologists are employed in the Archaeological Survey of India, state departments of archaeology, as faculty and researchers in the Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology departments of the various universities and in museums having archaeology sections. Experts in Palaeontology, Osteology, Geochemistry, Conservation, Preservation, Epigraphy and palaeography, Art and Architecture, Numismatics etc also find employment in these organisations and institutions. Opportunities for full-time, permanent positions are limited; consequently competition is fierce for the few jobs available. Developing cultural centres and growing interest in heritage preservation and its other aspects has generated new avenues for employment of archaeologists.
The vast water area of the country is rich in underwater cultural heritage. Off shore explorations in the country have generated a lot of popularity to this discipline. Establishment of the Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW) in the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2001 marked a major step towards the development of the subject.
Source: Times of India (Jayanti Ghose)
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