AIHC & Archaeology Discussion Group
AIHC & Archaeology Discussion Group
The Discussion group was started at the department of Archaeology Deccan College PGRI, Pune in the 1980's. Its main objective is to regularly conduct lectures by scholars from outside the institute on various topics related to Archaeology and Ancient Indian History and Culture. These are mainly meant for facilitating healthy academic discussion and exchange between students, faculty and the visiting scholars. Numerous scholars from both foreign as well as Indian universities are invited to deliver lectures on topics related to research methodology, archaeological explorations, recent excavations, material studies, scientific findings and theoretical issues in archaeology. Some noted foreign scholars include A.T.Clason (Netherlands), C. Roberts (UK.), G.Possehl (USA), F.A. Durrani (Pakistan), IIdaiko Puskas (Hungary), Namma Goren (Israel), G. Corvinus (Nepal)(US), Martin Jones (UK), Ken Thomas (UK), John Lukacs (USA), Monica Smith (USA), Mark Kenoyer (USA), Dorian Fuller (UK), Che Chang-Hwa (Taiwan), Mark Pollard (UK), Marco Madella (Spain), Oliver Nottier (France), Brian Hemphil (USA), James W. Lankton (UK), Atushi Noguchi (Japan), Hideo Kondo (Japan), Dong Hoon Shin (Korea), etc. Discussion group lectures are mostly conducted one Friday of every month when teaching is not carried out. In a year as many 8-10 lectures are held. An important activity of the Discussion group is the annual research reporting. A two day event where research activities carried out for that particular year are reported by the faculty and research staff of the Archaeology Department. Besides these other activities also carried out are condolence meetings and one day workshops.
Archaeology Discussion Group List 2023-2024 - Coordinator: Dr. Amrita Sarkar
Sr.no |
Date |
Scholar |
Affiliation |
Topic |
1 |
13.04.23 |
Mr. M M Maathrm |
Amateur Archaeologist, History enthusiast and Author |
A Study on the Decipherment of the Indus Script |
2 |
27.10.23 |
Dr. Monica L. Smith |
Professor, Navin and Pratima Doshi Chair in Indian Studies, UCLA |
Professor, Navin and Pratima Doshi Chair in Indian Studies, UCLA |
3 |
1.9.23 |
Dr. Jens-Uwe Hartmann |
Professor of Indology |
Buddhism on the Silk Road: Reflections on a Curious |
Archaeology Discussion Group List 2022-2023 - Coordinator: Dr. Amrita Sarkar
Sr.no |
Date |
Scholar |
Affiliation |
Topic |
1 |
27.08.22 |
Dr. Pramod V Pathak |
Vedic Scholar Author and Journalist |
Interpretations of some of the Indus Cultural Seals |
2 |
30.08.22 |
Prof. Pieter Francois |
Associate Professor in Cultural Evolution, University of Oxford |
Quantifying World History: Methods, Potential and Pitfal |
3 |
10.09.22 |
Dr. Shantanu Subramaniam |
Conservation Architect and Archaeologist |
Jogeshwari: the genesis of a Rock cut Temple |
4 |
24.09.22 |
Dr. Uzma Rizvi |
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Link : https://meet.google.com/rnu-kzqz-zgv Urban Studies, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY, Visiting Faculty in the Department of Archaeology, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Pakistan |
Community Engagement in the Archaeology and Heritage of Pakistan: New Work at Mohenjo-Daro |
5 |
12.11.22 |
Dr. Madhulika Samanta |
Director (Archaeology),
|
Recent Archaeological Investigations at Ancient Bhrigukaccha(Roman Barigaza) in Western India |
6 |
24.01.23 |
Prof. Choodamani Nandagopal |
Art Historian UNESCO Fellow |
Imagery of Female Messengers (Dutikas/Sakhis) in Indian Art and Literature |
7 |
30.01.23 |
Dr. David ben-Shlomo |
Head, Institute of Archaeology, Ariel University |
Multi-discipline Analysis of Pottery Technology: Judean Iron Age cooking Pots as a case study |
8 |
10.03.23 |
Dr. Ayumu Konasikawa |
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Asian and African Studies, University of Kyoto |
A consideration on the chronology of Harappan seals |
Archaeology Discussion Group List 2021-2022 - Coordinator: Dr. Amrita Sarkar
Sr.no |
Date |
Scholar |
Affiliation |
Topic |
1 |
23.03.2021 |
Mr. Upendra Dhonde |
Senior Scientist, Central Ground Water Board |
Ancient Water Management in India |
2. |
10.04.2021 |
Prof. Vasant Shinde |
CSIR Bhatnagar Fellow, |
Relevance of Archaeology to Contemporary Society |
3. |
24.04.2021 |
Prof. Ajit Kumar |
Retd Head of the Department of Archaeology |
Rock-Art Studies in India with Special Reference to Kerala |
4. |
08.05.2021 |
Dr. Teresa Raczek |
Professor in Anthropology, Kennesaw State University, USA |
Refining the Ahar Culture Chronology: Recalibrating and updating radio carbon dates |
5. |
22.05.2021 |
Dr. Rajani M B |
Associate Professor, School of Humanities, NIAS |
Patterns in Past Settlements: Geospatial Analysis of Imprints of Cultural Heritage on Landscapes |
6. |
05.06.2021 |
Dr. Supriya Chakroborty |
Scientists F, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune |
Isotope Analysis |
7. |
12.06.2021 |
Dr. Rajiv Nigam |
CSIR Emeritus Scientist, Former Chief Scientist, NIO, GOA |
Sea level changes and palaeoenvironment |
8. |
11.09.2021 |
Dr. Lopamudra Maitra Bajpai |
Symbiosis International University, Pune |
“History and narratives- Need to reassess genres, connecting identities, similitudes and uniqueness” |
9. |
25.09.2021 |
Dr. Kalyan Chakraborty |
Post doctoral Fellow Macmaster University, Canada |
Regional socio-political complexities within the Indus Civilization |
10. |
09.10.2021 |
Dr. Kurush Dalal |
Director, INSTUCEN, school of Archaeology |
Archaeobroma: Archaeology of Food |
11. |
23.10.2021 |
Dr. Sheila Mishra |
Prehistorian and former Faculty, DRPGRI, Pune |
New Developments in Indian Prehistory |
12. |
13.11.2021 |
Dr. Alok Kanungo |
Assistant Professor, IIT Gandhinagar |
Indigenous Glass of India |
13. |
27.11.2021 |
Prof. Dong Hoon Shin |
Professor and Chair, Seoul National University College of Medicine |
Harappan Civilization from Perspectives of Parasitism |
14. |
12.02.2022 |
Dr, Ricardo Fernandes, Dr, Sangeeta Mahajan and Dr. Sean Hixon |
Dept. of Archaeology Max Planck Institute , Germany, and ISO India |
ISO India- Best Practices for comparing and Sharing Stable Isotope Data |
15. |
26.02.2022 |
Dr. Parth R Chauhan |
Assistant professor, IISER, Mohali |
Prehistoric Transitions in India : A Multi Aspect Perspectives. |
Archaeology Discussion group 2017-18 - Coordinator Dr. Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee
| No. | Date | Name | Address | Topic |
| 1 | 06-10-2017 | Prof. Xinwei | Chinese Academy of social science, Beijing | Chinese civilisation |
| 2 | 24-10-2017 | Prof. Monica Smith | University of California, Los Angeles, USA | National Geographic Society Early Career Grants |
| 3 | 08-11-2017 | Dr. Cameron Petrie, | University of Cambridge, UK | The land, water and settlement and two rains project investigating human and environment interactions in Indus period South Asia |
| 4 | 26-12-2017 | Prof. K.Paddayya, Emiritus professor | Deccan College PGRI. Pune | Lokmanya Tilak and Research Methodology |
| 5 | 06-02-2018 | Dr. Quentin Devers Researcher |
The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS, Paris) | The ancient kingdoms of Ladakh: an exploration of archaeological differentiation of space over time. |
| 6 | 21-03-2018 | Dr. Nasir Eskander, | Head of Dept. of Archaeology, University of Jiroft, Iran |
The Jiroft discoveries and ancient Halit River Civilisation |
II. Annual Research Reporting 2016-17 by the faculty and Research staff.
| 30-10-2017 | Faculty and Research Staff. | Annual Research Reporting |
| Prof. V.S. Shinde | Welcome remarks | |
| Prof. Sushama Deo | Ongoing investigations in and around Tikoda , Madhya Pradesh | |
| Prof.P.P.Joglekar | Archaeological explorations in Odisha 2016-17 | |
| Prof. V. Sathe | No title | |
| Prof. S.Sable | No title | |
| Dr. Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee | Faunal remains from Somnath, Gujarat | |
| Dr. Veena M.Tripathy | Academic Activities 2016-17 | |
| Dr. Satish Naik | No title | |
| Dr. Sachin Joshi | No title | |
| Dr. Pankaj Goyal | Faunal remains from Khopadi & Kotada Bhadli | |
| Dr. V.C. Kamble | No title | |
| Mr. Prateek Chakraborty | No title | |
| 31-10-2017 | Dr.Shahida Ansari | Cataloguing of coins at Deccan College Archaeology, Museum |
| Dr. Abhijit Dandekar | No title | |
| Dr. Srikant Ganvir | Art objects from Nagardhan excavations 2015-17 | |
| Mrs Nisha Sawant | No title | |
| Mr.Gopal Joge | Study & documentation of early Brahmanical caves at Katalgaon –Javade, dist. Ratnagiri, Maharashtra | |
| Dr. Kantikumar Pawar | No title | |
| Dr. Prabodh Shirwalkar | No title | |
| Dr. Amrita Sarkar | No title | |
| Dr. Gurudas Shete | No title | |
| Dr.Shantanu Vaidya | Excavations at Nagardhan (jointly with Dr. Srikant Ganvir) | |
| 31-10-2017 | Dr. Astha Dibyopama | Not presented |
| Dr. Kanchana Bhaisare | - Not presented | |
| Mr.Amit Pendam | Excavations at Limb, district Satara, Maharashtra, 2016-17 | |
| Mr.Nilesh Jadhav | - Not presented | |
| Mr.Girish Mandke | No title | |
| Mr.B.S. Gajul | Archaeology Museum activities 2016-17 | |
| Mrs . Nilam Dhapre | Not presented |
2016-17 Discussion group
| No | date | Speaker | Lecture title |
| 1 | 19-08-2016 | Dr. Ajmal Shah | Kashmir Archaeology from Neolithic to Early Historic |
| 2 | 04-08-2016 | Dr. Atreyee Bhattacharya | Saharan dust preserving the drought history of the Sahel? |
| 3 | 26-08-2016 | Dr. James W. Lankton | Glass Studies in South Asia: Archaeology and Scientific Analysis |
| 4 | 27-08-2016 | Prof. Anindya Sarkar | Isotope Tracers in Archaeology |
| 5 | 17-02-2017 | Prof.Monica Smith | Environmental economics in early historic urbanism |
List of Archaeology discussion group lectures 2015-16. (Coordinator Dr. Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee )
| No | date | Speaker | Lecture title |
| 1 | 12-08-2015 | Jeevan Kharakwal | Excavations at Chandravati |
| 2 | 30-10-2015 | Annual research reporting 2015 | |
| 3 | 31-10-2015 | Annual research reporting 2015 | |
| 4 | 28-10-2015 | Professor Ron Pinhasi | Genome –wide patterns of ancient Europeans, Africans and Asians |
| 5 | 08-12-2015 | Michael D. Petraglia | Green Arabia Project |
| 6 | 01-02-2016 | Prof. David Reich | Ancient DNA and the New science of the Human Past |
| 7 | 11-05-2016 | Prof. K.Paddayya | to welcome the Book On Revitalising Indian Archaeology Vol. I & II |
Lectures arranged by Discussion Group in 2013-14 (Coordinator Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee)
| No | date | Speaker | Lecture title |
| 1 | 6/8/2013 | Dr. G.B. Deglurkar | Importance of iconography |
| 2 | 19/8/2013 | Dr. A. Jamkhedkar | Indo-Iranian connections |
| 3 | 20/9/2013 | Prof.K.Paddayya | Anthropological Turn in Indian Archaeology |
| 4 | 27/9/2013 | Faculty and Research Staff | Annual research reporting |
| 5 | 28/9/2013 | Faculty and Research Staff | Annual research reporting |
| 6 | 25/10/2013 | Major Goel | Joining the army as a career: an awareness drive |
| 7 | 12-11-2103 | Prof. MLK Murty | Living traditions as archaeological and historical sources: insights from the eastern ghats |
| 8 | 1/4/2014 | Dr. Gill Jullif | Monsoon steel: Early Metallaurgical Developements in Sri Lanka and their influence on wider Asia technological traditions |
| 9 | 16/4/2014 | Ms. Tejaswini Aphale | Heritage conservation |
| 10 | 18-7-2014 | Mr. Dilip Karwir and Harshal Sathe | Hampi |
| 11 | 7-8-2014 | Mr. Giri Raj Prasad | practical demonstration on Pottery making |
| 12 | 22 & 23-8-2014 | Faculty and Research Staff | ANNUAL RESEARCH REPORTING for 2013-2014 |
| 13 | 13-9-2014 | Mr. Manager Singh, | Scientific Conservation of Ajanta Murals and stone sculptures –recent methodology |
| 14 | 4-11-2014 | Dr. Benjamin Valentine |
OnTelling new stories with old bones : understanding Harappan Migration through Archaeological Bone Chemistry |
| 15 | 14-11-2014 | Prof. K. Paddayya, | Heritage and Identity |
Lectures arranged by Discussion Group in 2012-13 (Coordinator Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee)
| No | Date | Speaker | Lecture title |
| 1 | 3/8/2012 | Prof. V.S Shinde | The Recent Archaeological Expedition to Pakistan |
| 2 | 10/8/2012 | Prof. K.Paddayya | Writing about the Past from outside the Academy |
| 3 | 7/9/2012 | Prof. Mark Pollard | Recent developments in Scientific Archaeology |
| 4 | 19/10/12 | Prof. K.Paddayya | The Blade Tool Industry of the Southern Neolithic |
| 5 | 22/10/2012 | Faculty and Research Staff | Annual Research Reporting |
| 6 | 23/10/2012 | Faculty and Research Staff | Annual Research Reporting |
| 7 | 19/12/2012 | Dr. James W. Lankton | Glass Studies in India: Archaeology and Scientific Analysis |
| 8 | 4/1/2013 | Dr. A.V. Vartak | A study of Fossils and Minerals Through Philately |
| 9 | 10/1/2013 | Mr.Amol Potnis | Introduction to Pollengrain: A Software tool for Easy Creation of Timelines |
| 10 | 11/1/2013 | Prof. K.Paddayya | Remembering Robert Bruce Foote (On the occasion of his death centenary) |
| 11 | 18/1/2013 | Dr. Arun Bapat | Ancient Tsunami on West Coast of India |
| 12 | 15/2/2013 | Prof. Dong Hoon Shin | Current Trends in Ancient DNA Studies |
| 13 | 20/2/2013 | Prof. Dong Hoon Shin | What archaeological studies would talk about ? |
| 14 | 5/4/2013 | Dr. M. Mahadevaih | Excavations at Kurugodu, Dist. Bellary, Karnataka |
| 15 | 26/4/2013 | Mr. Konogan Beaufay | Classical Art and Archaeology (Roman) |
| 16 | 26/4/2013 | Ms.Annabelle Oliva | Classical Art and Archaeology (Greek) |
Lectures delivered from Discussion group 2009-11 ( Coordinators Abhijeet Dandekar, Sachin Joshi and Shahida Ansari)
| 2008-09 | Dr. Paddayya K. | Acheulian Excavations at Yediyapur-VI |
| 2008-09 | Dr. M D Kajale | Quaternary Palaeoecological Studies in Sikkim and Archaeological Studies at Jufferdih and Junnar |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Shinde, V.S. | Excavations at Farmana |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Deotare B.C. | Excavations at Kholapur |
| 2008-09 | Dr. S. R. Walimbe | Contribution of Anthropology Team |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Marathe A.R. | Geoarchaeological Investigations at Kelshi |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Mishra Sheila | Excavations at Morgaon |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Deo Sushama | Quaternary Deposits of the River Krishna in its Source Region |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Ansari Shahida | Research in 2007-08 |
| 2008-09 | Sri Shrikant Ganvir | Recent Studies in Art and Architecture |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Dandekar Abhijit | Excavations at Chaul-2008 |
| 2008-09 | Dr. P.P. Dandwate | Angkor Temple Complex, Cambodia |
| 2008-09 | Shri Mandke Girish | Images at Pateshwar: An Overview |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee | Ongoing Faunal Studies and Coastal Exploration along the Bhavnagar Coast |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Sathe Vijay | Manjra Valley in 2007-08 |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Jadhav Shreekant | Excavations at Junnar |
| 2008-09 | Shri Naik Satish | Archaeological Studies from Ancient Sites of Bhon, Kholapur, Junnar, Chaul, Chinchani and Juafferdih (Bihar) |
| 2008-09 | Shri V.C. Kamble | Ethnoarchaeological Studies, especially on Dhangars |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Olivier Notter | Cultural Evolution at Baume Bonne Cave, France |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Shanti Pappu | Recent work at Attirampakkam |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Riza Abbas | Recent Excavation at Astoli, District Bundi, Rajasthan |
| 2008-09 | Dr. Sheila Mishra | Large Flake Acheulian in India: Implications for Orgin and Dispersal of Acheulian |
| 4th August 2009 | Dr. Bryan Wells | Epigraphic Approaches to Indus writing |
| 5th August 2009 | Dr. S. Bonta | The Indus Valley Fish Signs |
| 5th August 2009 | Dr. Bryan Hemphill | Human Population from Ancient to Modern Times |
| 30th October 2009 | Prof. K. Paddayya | Importance of going to the Original Sources |
| 22nd January 2010 | Dr. Monica L Smith | Ancient Urban Organisation and the Role of Empty Spaces |
| 22nd January 2010 | Dr. Randell Law | No Stone Unturned: Trekking through dengerous territory to unraval Indus trade routes |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. M D Kajale | Quaternary Palaeoecological Study in Sikkim |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. M D Kajale | Archaeobotanical Studies |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Prof. V S Shinde | Excavations at Farmana, Haryana |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. B. C. Deotare | Exploration in Lonar Area |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. R K Mohanty | Sisupalgarh 2009 |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. Shiela Misra | Excavations at Mehtakheri 2009 |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. S G Deo | Excavation at Morgaon District Pune, Maharashtra |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee | Ongoing faunal studies |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Mr. S. P. Ganvir | Early Caves of Vidarbha |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. Abhijit Dandekar | Coins from Sajjan Excavation |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. P. P. Dandwate and Mr. B S Gajul | Museum Activities |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Prof K Paddayaa | Darwinism and Social Thought |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Mr. Girish Mandke | Vishnu of Konkan (With Special reference to Laxmi Narayan) |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Dr. Shreekant Jadhav | Excavation at Junnar ( Dist. Pune) |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Mr. V. C. Kamble | Exlorations at reserved Forest at Kanheri Caves |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Mr. Satish Naik | Radiocarbon Dating in BSIP: A Practicle Experience |
| 3rd and 4th May 2010 | Mr. Sachin V Joshi | ERS at Farmana, Kholapur and Chaul |
| 11th June 2010 | Prof. J. M. Kenoyer | New Perspectives on the Indus Civilization: Recent Excavations at Harappa 2007 and 2010 |
| 13th August 2010 | Katie E. Lindstrom | A comparative study of Harappan style ceramics: Pottery Preference at Gola Dhoro (Bagasra) |
| 3rd September 2010 | Prof. K. Paddayya | Raymond Allchin's Contribution to Indian Archaeology in the context of Contemporary Trends in Archaeological Method and Theory |
| 9th September 2010 | Anjana Reddy | Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with special reference to Abu Dhabi |
| 17th September 2010 | Dr. Sugandha Johar | Mind Mapping |
| 24th September 2010 | Dr. Sugandha Johar | Learning Skills |
| 22nd October 2010 | Dr. R. V. Godbole | The Nature of Vedic Deities: Indra and Aditya |
| 22nd October 2010 | Dr. R. V. Godbole | The Nature of Vedic Deities: Rudra, Maruts and Agni |
| 29th October 2010 | Dr. R. V. Godbole | The Riddle of Soma and Pravargya Vidhi |
| 29th October 2010 | Dr. R. V. Godbole | Archaeological and Geological Data |
| 10th March 2011 | Prof. Hideo Kondo | Thinking about Urbanisation |
| 10th March 2011 | Mr. Atushi Noguchi | Palaeolithic to Harappan Stone Tools from Rohri Hills and its adjacent Sindh Province |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. V S Shinde | Further Excavations at Farmana, Haryana |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. P. D. Sable | Field Activitries during 2009-2010 |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. Arati Deshpande-Mukherjee | Ongoing Faunal Research |
| 8th October 2010 | Mr. S. V. Joshi and Dr. A. Dandekar | Explorationa and Excavation at Manikdurg, Maharashtra |
| 8th October 2010 | Mr. S. Ganvir | Recent Studies in Temple Art of Maharashtra |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. S. Mishra | Revising Indian Stone Age |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. V. G. Sathe | X-ray diffraction of Bones |
| 8th October 2010 | Mr. K.A. Pawar | Field Activities during 2009-2010 |
| 8th October 2010 | Ms. Nisha Sawant | Field Activities during 2009-2010 |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. B. C. Deotare | Explorations around Lonar Lake in Buldhana District, Maharashtra |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. S. G. Deo | Explorations around Narwar Hill, District Raisen, M.P. |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. S. Jadhav | Excavations at Junnar, District Pune, Maharashtra |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. P. P. Dandwate and Mr. B. S. Gajul | Museum Activities |
| 8th October 2010 | Mr. Girish Mandke | Laxmi Keshawa of Konkan |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. P. P. Joglekar amd Dr. R. K. Mohanty | Excavations at Manikpattana, Odisha |
| 8th October 2010 | Mr. V.C. Kamble | Ethnoarchaeolgical Study of Vaidya Community of Solapur, Maharashtra |
| 8th October 2010 | Mr. S.S. Naik | Exploration in Konkan Coastal area especially at Mandad, District Raigad, Maharashtra |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. S.A. Pradhan | Gandhakuti at Ajanta Cave XX? |
| 8th October 2010 | Dr. S. Ansari | Documentation of Museums in Maharashtra |