What is Archaeology?
ARCHAEOLOGY is the study of activities humans engage in, through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture and cultural landscape. The discipline involves surveying, excavation and eventually analysis of data collected to learn more about the past. In broad scope, archaeology relies on cross-disciplinary research. It integrates the sphere of anthropology, history, classics, geography, geology, linguistics, physics, chemistry, statistics, paleoecology and paleontology.
The role of archaeology here becomes crucial. Archaeology can contribute immensely by revealing cultural ways and artifacts that can help in identification of historical incorrect views and understandings. Archaeology therefore becomes necessary to forge points of unity and points of diversity in varied cultures and civilizations. It helps in discovering not only the ‘other’ but also rediscovering our own selves.
Archaeology in Delhi
Important excavations have taken place in Bhorgarh, Jahanpahan, Lal Kot, Makhdum Sahib’s mosque, Purana Qila, Qila Rai Pithora, salimgarh, Siri fort, Tughlaqabad.
The places I will be focusing on would be Salimgarh, Purana Qila and Lal kot.
By studying the essentials of the discipline of archaeology (pertaining to this area) and through gaining knowledge of the recovery and interpretation of architectures, artefacts, bio facts, and landscapes, archaeology I seek to:
a) Determine the chronology of human development on this settlement (both medieval and ancient and modern),
b) Unearth the cultural history of various human settlements here,
c) and substantiate or fill the lacunae of history with material evidence (according to the findings of the archaeologists, who I have interviewed and gained information from
d) understand the processes that underlie the changes taken place in human societies across many cultures. How the pot and stone assemblages found form typological classes from space and time, contribute to history and have much more to say about the then environment, ecology, modes of subsistence, socio religious trends and ideas and more than that and how all these categories form a system and how their mutual relationship had been.
