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
Department of Asian Studies
University of Munich

Buddhism on the Silk Road: Reflections on a Curious
Asymmetry

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
Ex-visiting Prof. University of Houston
USA

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), 
Archaeological Survey of India, 

 

Recent Archaeological Investigations at Ancient Bhrigukaccha(Roman Barigaza) in Western India 

6

24.01.23

Prof.  Choodamani Nandagopal

Art Historian UNESCO Fellow
Vice-President Indian Art History Congress

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,
CSIR Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad
Former Vice-Chancellor, Deccan College, Deemed University

Relevance of Archaeology to Contemporary Society

3.

24.04.2021

Prof. Ajit Kumar

Retd Head of the Department of Archaeology
Director, School of Social Science
University of Kerala, Trivandrum

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