[Invited Lecture Series] THE MID-HOLOCENE TRAILS IN THE EASTERN HILLS AND VALLEYS OF INDIA
This lecture delves into the prehistoric landscapes of Northeast India, examining archaeological assemblages, ecological adaptations, and cultural transitions during the Mid-Holocene period. It offers insights into how tropical rainforest environments shaped early human settlement and subsistence practices in the region.
This lecture delves into the prehistoric landscapes of Northeast India, examining archaeological assemblages, ecological adaptations, and cultural transitions during the Mid-Holocene period. It offers insights into how tropical rainforest environments shaped early human settlement and subsistence practices in the region.
The Mid-Holocene Trails in the Eastern Hills and Valleys of India
Speaker:
Prof. Sukanya Sharma
Professor of Archaeology,
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati
Date & Time:
18 April 2025 | 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM IST
Location:
Online (Google Meet)
Click here to join the session
or use the link below:
https://meet.google.com/cky-drsu-zrq
Synopsis
Across Northeast India, archaeological sites marked by ground tools and pottery have been traditionally categorized as 'neolithic.' The communities behind these artifacts were likely early cultivators - proto forms of the region’s contemporary swidden farmers.
These assemblages feature expedient tool technologies, including utilized flakes, edge-ground tools, bifaces, and pottery, indicating a mixed subsistence strategy of hunting, fishing, gathering, and cultivating. The unique ecology - situated between tropical rainforest and monsoonal zones - played a pivotal role in shaping human cultural development in the region.
The prehistoric record shows evidence of seasonal resource exploitation and adaptability, with specific residential sites reused repeatedly from around 6000 years ago. This lecture will examine how archaeological evidence from the Eastern hills and valleys reveals long-term human-environment interactions and cultural resilience during the Mid-Holocene.
Programme Schedule:
7:00 PM - 7:10 PM: Welcome and Introductory Remarks
Prof. Subho Roy, Member Secretary, INCAA
7:10 PM - 7:15 PM: Chairperson Remarks
Prof. Ranjana Ray, Professor Emeritus, Department of Anthropology, University of Calcutta
7:15 PM - 8:00 PM: Keynote Lecture by Prof. Sukanya Sharma
Title: The Mid-Holocene Trails in the Eastern Hills and Valleys of India
8:00 PM - 8:20 PM: Q&A and Discussion
Open to all participants
8:20 PM - 8:25 PM: Chairperson Concluding Remarks
Prof. Ranjana Ray, Professor Emeritus, Department of Anthropology, University of Calcutta
8:25 PM - 8:30 PM: Vote of Thanks and Way Forward
Prof. Thanuja M, Joint Secretary, INCAA