Event review: Central Narmada Basin Paleoanthropology Fieldschool

Abstract

In comparison to other subjects in Indian archaeology and Quaternary studies, paleoanthropology has declined significantly in recent decades as a prominent academic discipline in the Indian Subcontinent. Most archaeological research and teaching in South Asia are largely focused on younger time periods, primarily the protohistoric or Chalcolithic and historical phases. In addition to lack of general interest and lack of popularization, another major reason for this decline in paleoanthropology may be the methodological challenges in interpreting complex paleoanthropological records, e.g., landform assemblage, paleoenvironmental reconstructions, assessing contextual integrity of the archaeological evidence (compared to younger sites) and so forth. Due to inadequate preserved evidence compared to younger archaeological sites, the study of human history during the Quaternary demands a multi-disciplinary approach with highly sophisticated and extensive field-based surveys and integrated scientific analyses from geological perspectives.