Format: Paper presentations with discussion
Convenors:
Ningnung Jakoinao, Palaeoanthropology-Archaeology Laboratory Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, India, ph23059@iisermohali.ac.in
Michael Rivera, Faculty of Social Sciences (Interdisciplinary Studies), University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, mrivera@hku.hk
This session presents a diverse range of archaeological projects that collectively address the intersection of cultural heritage, community engagement, and sustainable development. Together, these papers explore innovative strategies for balancing archaeological research, cultural preservation, and social responsibility across varied global landscapes.
Papers:
An Archaeological Survey and Heritage Preservation of Sites in Kech-Makran, Balochistan, Pakistan: New Discoveries and Policy Implications
Imran Shabir, Dept of Archaeology, University of Balochistan, Quetta, Pakistan
The Kech-Makran, Balochistan, region has long been an important route for migrations and expeditions in South-Central Asia, drawing significant archaeological interest. Early documentation of Makran’s archaeological sites began with Major E. Mockler in 1870-75, followed by Sir Aurel Stein’s explorations in 1927-28. In the 1960s, George F. Dales led American missions at Sutkagen Dor, and from 1987 to 2007, Roland Besenval’s French mission extensively studied the area. This paper examines newly discovered sites and compares past archaeological work in Balochistan. By tracing ancient occupations and cultures in Kech-Makran and comparing them with present-day cultures, the study aims to establish a cultural profile of the Chalcolithic Era. Furthermore, there is a critical need for implementing heritage policies to safeguard these sites and artefacts for future generations. This research emphasises the importance of integrating heritage preservation and management into the region’s development, promoting sustainable tourism and education while ensuring Balochistan’s rich cultural history is responsibly shared with the world.
To See or Not to See: The Dissemination of Knowledge regarding the Karewas of Kashmir, and the Implications for its People
Ningnung Jakoinao, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, Punjab, India
The Karewas of Kashmir is an affluent Pleistocene locality in the Indian subcontinent that can be explored for palaeoanthropological and archaeological investigations. The current research plan includes a multiproxy approach to systematically reconstruct the past environment based on several seasons of fieldwork that have been performed in the Kashmir Valley. One of the aims of this study includes conservation and how accessibility to information about the landmass is necessary for the local stakeholders. With the Karewa sediments being valuable for saffron cultivation and the recent ban on sand quarrying that was disturbing the sections, the necessity for a dying agricultural practice and archaeological research to go hand-in-hand is crucial. The Galander fossil site in Pampore, first excavated in 2000, only came to the media in 2024, even though the scientific body informally knew about the site’s situation and activity. Techniques such as GIS and 3D photogrammetry can help visualize the stratigraphy and geology of the area, and the use of photography and videography (specifically as ‘movies’) to display in public forums and ‘geomuseum/geoheritage creation’ can help the locals to see the importance of their land. Knowledge dissemination, therefore, is vital for research to progress and conversations to occur.
Jarasandha’s Amulet: A Case Study in Recognising an Indigenous Archaeological Tradition in India
Michael Cremo, Bhaktivedanta Institute
In previous WAC papers I identified an indigenous archaeological tradition in India going back to the sixteenth century. I published in Antiquity (82: 178-188) a comprehensive overview (Excavating the eternal: An Indigenous archaeological tradition in India). Typically, instances of this archaeological tradition involve saints, kings, or ordinary people learning in a dream or vision of a lost sacred object or place, which they dig up. In my previous work, I focused on examples from the Vaishnava tradition. In this paper, I present a case from the Shaivite tradition, showing that this folk archaeological activity is not limited to one religious community. In the case I propose to present, a discovery was made by Man Singh, who in the sixteenth century held high military and administrative positions in the Mughal Empire. Once he was traveling by boat on the Ganges to Bengal. While approaching Patna in Bihar, the boat became stuck on a sandbar. In a dream, Man Singh was told that if he excavated a Shiva Lingam, a phallic stone representing Shiva, that had been lost in the river at this place, and built a temple to house it, his boat would float free. I propose that archaeology should be defined in such a way as to include such activity.
Between Progress and Sustainability: Archaeological Findings from the Autopista al Río Magdalena 2 Project
Lidia del Pilar, Miticanoy Muchachasoy, Autopista Rio Magdalena SAS, Colombia
The Autopista al Río Magdalena 2 is a fourth-generation road infrastructure project spanning 153.3 km, connecting the departments of Antioquia and Santander in Colombia. As part of its execution, a Preventive Archaeology Program was developed, enabling the systematic documentation of dispersed archaeological contexts in the Middle Magdalena region. These contexts are associated with human groups characterized by the use of expedient lithic technology, as well as late-period agro-pottery communities, reflecting the settlement and subsistence dynamics of the societies that inhabited this region—a key area in the history of human occupation in Colombia.
In addition to contributing to the archaeological knowledge of the area, the project incorporated a public archaeology phase aimed at protecting and preserving cultural heritage. Within this framework, strategies for awareness, training, and dissemination were implemented, targeting the communities within the area of influence. Furthermore, as part of the heritage management efforts, the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum of Puerto Berrío was established, where artifacts recovered during the project are currently exhibited. In this way, the initiative successfully integrated the region’s social and economic development with the conservation of its cultural heritage.
Raiders of the Lost Cash Flow: A Consultant Archaeologist’s Guide to Not Going Broke
Veronica Cairns, Kelly Tacey and Amanda Hansford, Austral Archaeology, Australia
Improving efficiencies in archaeological consulting is critical for delivering high-quality outcomes within the constraints of time, budget, and regulatory compliance. This paper explores how the integration of advanced project management systems can significantly enhance operational performance in archaeological practices.
By implementing tools that provide real-time visibility over work in progress, budgets, and billing, firms can ensure tighter control over project delivery and financial management. Enhanced forecasting and planning capabilities enable more accurate resource allocation and risk mitigation, reducing project overruns and delays. Furthermore, streamlining administrative processes—such as automated reporting, time tracking, and document management—not only increases consistency and compliance but also alleviates the administrative burden placed on archaeologists.
This allows heritage specialists to focus on their core responsibilities, thereby improving both job satisfaction and the quality of archaeological outcomes. Drawing on case studies and practical applications, the paper demonstrates how tailored project management solutions can be successfully embedded into archaeological consulting workflows.
Ultimately, embracing these technologies leads to a more agile, accountable, and resilient consultancy model that is better equipped to meet the growing demands of clients and regulators alike. The findings are relevant for firms seeking scalable strategies to optimise performance without compromising the integrity of heritage management.
Deconstructing Inequality in Scientific Communication: The Challenge of Preserving Memories and Raising Cultural Awareness in the Region of Koisanjaq/Koya (Iraq)
Nyaz Azeez, Antiquity Service, Koya Civilization Museum, Iraq
Cinzia Pappi, Einstein Centre Chronoi, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
The conservation of cultural heritage and the development of cultural awareness are both crucial and widely debated topics in countries that have experienced the effects of conflicts, particularly those which have also suffered a long political and cultural isolation. The Kurdish Region of Iraq, which had experienced a long cultural period of relative isolation, is currently undergoing a time of intense field investigations which contribute greatly to our knowledge of this area. Archaeological investigations conducted since 2015 by the department of Koisanjaq/Koya of the Antiquity Service of the Kurdish Region of Iraq, in cooperation with the Archaeological Survey of Koisanjaq/Koya (ASK) Project, have highlighted the multi-cultural character of this region.After a short overview of the project, this paper will discuss the methodology applied by the project, re-examined against the background of previous archaeological and anthropological research in this area, and present case studies for new directions in recording cultural heritage. It will further present ongoing archaeological and anthropological projects aimed at the conservation and promotion of the cultural landscape of the region of Koisanjaq/Koya, focussing on the ongoing specific strategies aimed at: (1) the improvement of site management; (2) the scientific dissemination, by using different media; and (3) the preservation of cultural memory. All these projects, conducted with the involvement of local academia and the main stakeholders, have as main objectives: (1) the mutual exchange of data between scholars and local communities, (2) to raise cultural awareness, (3) to preserve historical narratives on the developments of the landscape of the recent past, and (4) to explore the cultural reception of local antiquity.