Digging Up Discoveries: The Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research

The Centre for Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research (CIAR), the first-of-its-kind in India, pioneers the integration of Archaeology and the Sciences together to offer new perspectives about the study of India’s ancient and medieval past. Through eld projects led by Ashoka faculty and students, complemented by laboratory research, CIAR endeavours to explore diverse landscapes and archaeological sites across India.

One of its unique offerings is the Ashoka Fellowship in Ancient and Medieval Indian Archaeology/History. Established with generous funding from Ashoka founders, Anupa and Rajiv Sahney, the Fellowship encourages interdisciplinary research, fosters collaboration, and promotes documentation of India’s archaeological heritage. During the one and a half year period as Ashoka Fellows, researchers are expected to publish scholarly articles on chosen topics, contributing to the evolving nature of India’s history. 

The inaugural cohort of Fellows included students Aditi Mann (Vivekananda School of Law and Legal Studies) and Abdul Rashid Lone (Department of History, University of Kashmir). Both scholars took on unique research projects. Aditi selected Kurukshetra as her research site, driven by her curiosity to investigate how the region’s religious landscape had evolved over time, through archaeology. Meanwhile, Abdul conducted research across three districts in Kashmir – Anantnag, Ganderbal and Pulwama – focusing on early historic sites. 

To achieve her goal, Aditi extensively studied various stone sculptures, terracottas, and inscriptions. Interestingly, the inscriptions provided insights into ve cults of Brahminical faith – Śaivism, Vaiṣṇavism, Śakta, Gaṇapatya, and Saura – besides Buddhism and Jainism. Her research also had a second strand to it. As sun-worship is one of the most ancient religious traditions, Aditi examined the existence and influence of the Sūrya cult, or sun-worship in Kurukshetra, from an archaeological perspective. To do this, she conducted an anthropological study of many tirthas, pilgrimage sites – especially the ancient site Amin, believed to be Lord Sūrya’s birthplace and mentioned in many old texts. 

Like Aditi, Abdul’s aim was also to shed light on the region’s rich historical and cultural heritage spanning multiple periods. His visits yielded a trove of discoveries. It included finding huge terracotta storage jars, pottery sherds and architectural remnants, indicating habitation in the region in early history. He also found something very rare: a grinding/anvil stone from the Neolithic period, in present-day Ganderbal district of Kashmir. This  finding suggested a sophisticated tool fabrication process. In Renzipora too, the archaeological exploration of an early historic site unveiled a diverse array of artifacts. 

India is riddled with an abundance of archaeological remains which bring to light a plethora of findings of contemporary significance, and CIAR is an innovative, faculty-run platform which combines the research interests of humanities scholars with those of science experts to inquire into its rich history. Fellows have conducted extensive research into Bandhavgarh National Park, Sonipat, Rakhigarhi, Sersa, Haryana, Mangar Bani, and continue to delve deep into the crevices of India, which now would shape our and coming scholars’ understanding of the Indian past.