Off Beat
What is Archaeology?
Archaeology is the study of past human societies, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data which they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes. Due to the fact that archaeology employs a wide range of different procedures, it can be considered to be both a science and a humanity.
The purpose of archaeology is to learn more about past societies and the development of the human race. Over 99% of the history of humanity has occurred within prehistoric cultures, who did not make use of writing, thereby not leaving written records about themselves which we can study today. Without such written sources, the only way to learn about prehistoric societies is to use archaeology. Many important developments in human history occurred during prehistory, including the evolution of humanity during the Palaeolithic period, when the hominins developed from the australopithecines through to the early homos in Africa and finally into modern Homo sapiens. Archaeology also sheds light on many of humanity’s technological advances, for instance the ability to use fire, the development of stone tools, the discovery of metallurgy, the beginnings of religion and the creation of agriculture. Without archaeology, we would know nothing of these evolutionary and technological changes in humanity that pre-date writing.
Nature of work
The task of Archaeologists is to study architectural relics or monuments or whatever it may be, to identify the period to which they belong which may later become historical evidence. They examine the relevance of any evidence, which may range from ruins of large cities to stone flakes and thus trace the stages of development of civilizations. They analyze the data and write reports on their findings.
This is not a career for someone who is easily bored with cold facts and tedious chores, it is a challenge for a person who is curious, has a deep interest in the past and wishes to discover how people of all different races and nations used to live and think. An archaeologist needs patience; dedication; imagination; a logical mind; honesty; the ability to report findings factually and good language and writing skills. As much of the work is done in laboratories, you would need to be familiar with laboratory procedures and able to record, in minute detail, your findings.
You would have to study relics (man-made objects) from the past technological, social, spiritual and other cultural activities in order to determine how long-dead people lived and developed through the ages. There are unwritten prehistories of countries and peoples. In order to understand the relics, you would need a regular use of other disciplines such as zoology, palaeontology, botany, geology, sedimentology, chemistry and physics. Your tasks would include excavation, recording and processing and a great deal of painstaking research.
In the 1970's, two sensational discoveries were made; in Kenya bones and a human skull were found below a layer of earth dating back 2.8 million years ago; a cave in Southern Africa, on the border of Swaziland and Natal showed signs of being inhabited by men of modern type - possibly as long ago as 100,000 BC. Biology textbooks of the 70's stated that the only humans in existence 100,000 years ago were beetlebrowed, bandy-legged Neanderthalers but the remains which had been found were those of a Homo sapiens who was not supposed to have appeared until about 35,000 BC - some 65,000 years later.
The Border Cave dwellers apparently had discovered mining and had manufactured sophisticated tools including agate knives with edges still sharp enough to slice paper! It was presumed by scientists that the tribe had held religious convictions and believed in the afterlife because a child's body had been given a ceremonial burial. This implied that members of the tribe had a language and had been able to reason abstractly - immortality cannot be conveyed with simple guttural sounds. Carefully notched bones suggested that they had even learnt to count. 
Did you know that scientists believe that the Sahara Desert was once a lush, green land peopled with many races and filled with animals that are now only found in museums, jungles or reserves? Imagine if you could discover another treasure like that found by Howard Carter who unearthed the tomb of King Tutankhamun.
Where to Study Archaeology in India ?
At the postgraduate level, archaeology is offered at more than 25 universities across the country. In the north you can look at the following:
Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India,
Red Fort Complex, Delhi 110006 (GoI) 110001
Course: PG diploma in archaeology (two years)
Eligibility: Master’s degree (ancient/medieval Indian history)/(archaeology/anthropology/Indian classical language/ geology with knowledge of pleistocene age; 55%).
Stipend: is paid to unemployed students for the period of two years.
Barkatullah Vishwavidhyalaya, Bhopal (MP);
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (UP);
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (Haryana)
The Delhi Institute of Heritage Research & Management,
18 A, Satsang Vihar Marg, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi 110067,
(Affiliated to GGSIPU)
www.dihrm.org
Course: Master’s in archaeology and heritage management (two years)
Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree (humanities/science)
Selection: Entrance test.
Future Prospects
The profession of Archaeology offers interesting job opportunities to those who have a fascination for the past. Specialists in the field of Archeology can work as Numismatists and Epigraphists. Numismatics is the study of old coins, tokens and other related objects while Epigraphy is the study of inscriptions on ancient monuments, rocks, temples, copper plates etc.
In India, students who pass out from the Institute of Archaeology, the academic wing of the Archeological Survey of India, have brighter prospects because they are readily absorbed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Archaeologists can seek jobs in government sectors through examinations conducted by Union Public Service Commission or Staff Selection Commission and also in private environment monitoring companies or in similar organizations. They are employed in Defense services, museums, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, cultural centers and historical division of the Ministry of External Affairs. A degree holder in Archaeology can work as tourist guides, heritage managers, interpreters, resource persons of trip organizers in the tourism industry. After obtaining Doctoral degree or successfully clearing SLET (State Level Eligibility Test ) or NET (National Eligibility Test) one can take up teaching and research work. Archaeologists can even seek employment in other disciplines as historians, linguists and surveyors.
Archaeology graduates have great scope abroad for jobs as well as research as various colleges and universities are well furnished with research programmes. Here one can work as curators, heritage conservators, archivists or even as teachers.
Besides government organisations, there are various other heritage bodies like INTACH and some foreign universities and foundations that are involved in urban conservation or excavations in India that provide employment to archaeologists. Archaeologists can also seek funds to go abroad to join or conduct excavations in their sphere of specialisation. They can also work as experts or consultants on mediarelated projects like films or documentaries on archaeological sites and cultures. Private collectors and museums may also require their services.
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