Archaeology of Transhumance in Ladakh

Speaker: Dr. S.B. Ota, Regional Director in Archaeological Survey of India, Central Region, Bhopal, was Director-in-Charge of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal in 2003-4 and 2013-14; recipient of “Young Scientist Award” , Indian Science Congress Association in 1987, awarded Charles Wallace Indian Trust Fellowship in 1995 and was a short-term visiting fellow by Japan Foundation in 2006

 

Chair: Professor R.C. Agrawal

 

Research for cultural remains in high altitude Ladakh prior to Buddhist remains in the valley around 10th century AD has received very limited attention by the archaeologists.  It was thought till recently that because of high altitude valleys with natural barriers, rugged terrain and adverse climatic conditions, the valley never attracted human to venture into this terrain before the advent of Buddhism in the area. However recent investigations have established beyond doubt that human did venture into this high altitude valley since terminal Pleistocene if not earlier. The present lecture throws light on such archaeological evidences that exists in the valley in bits and pieces and an attempt has been made to reconstruct the human adaptation strategies based on such evidences