Center for Archaeological Sciences and Technologies (CAST)

Objective To set up a multi-institutional, multi- disciplinary R&D center at IIT Kanpur to nucleate and strengthen development of technologies in archaeological applications and cultural resource management.

Partners IIT Kanpur University of Allahabad Archaeological Survey of India (Ministry of Culture) Stakeholders Universities and research institutes State departments of Archaeology National & State museums Department of Tourism of Centre and State governments Technical institutions (IITs, NITs and engineering colleges)

Location Date of creation: January, 2008 Presently operational from the Geoinformatics Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur

Set-up Coordinated by a coordination committee with representatives from IITK, UoA and ASI. Members: – Professor Onkar Dikshit, CE, IITK (Coordinator) – Dean Research and Development, IITK – Professor C. V. R. Murty, CE, IITK – Dr. A. Chatterjee, CSE and ME, IITK – Professor R. Balasubramaniam, MME, IITK – Professor Bharat Lohani, CE, IITK – Professor Javed N. Malik, CE, IITK – Dr. B. R. Mani, Jt. Director General, ASI, New Delhi – Dr. R. S. Fonia, Director (EE), ASI, New Delhi – Professor G. K. Rai, Department of Ancient History, Culture & Archaeology, University of Allahabad

Current Activities Terrain Mapping and Archaeo-scientific Studies of Ahicchatra (District: Bareilly): Project (GPS, GIS, GPR, Total station) survey for creating a database with the aim to help archaeological study. Collaboration with ASI. Evolution of Varanasi (using remote sensing, GIS, GPS) to generate a GIS based database to help in archaeological investigation. Sponsored by DST, Collaborating with the Department of Archaeology, BHU. Seismic Retrofitting and Terrestrial Laser scanning of Roomi Gate at Lucknow. Collaborating with ASI.

Archaeoseismological investigations around Vigukot fort in Great Rann of Kachchh, Gujarat. Development of Cultural Resource Management System – Development of Antiquity documentation system excavated at Ahicchatra: First version of the SW is ready and under testing phase. – Development of Database for Nationally Protected Monuments and Antiquities: Under progress in collaboration with ASI.

Capacity building Short term courses have been organized for ASI officers and teachers and researchers from universities and colleges in the following areas: – Geographical Information System (GIS) – Plane Surveying and Global Positioning system (GPS) – Course on Archaeomaterials is proposed in February One Day workshop on the “Application of Science & Technology to the Study of the Past”, Organized by the University of Allahabad. Preparation of study material on application of Geoinformatics in Archaeology underway.

Reports/Papers Amit Tare, A GIS based approach to study of Archaeological Site A case study of Ahicchatra, M.Tech. Thesis, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Abhishek Srivastava, Development of a Cultural Resource Management System, B.Tech. Project Report, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kanpur, Tare et. al., Preliminary investigations for Ahicchatra using Geoinformatics Techniques, Journal of Interdisciplinary studies in History and Archaeology, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2007.

Significant Achievements Possible to establish a dialogue between archaeologists and scientists & technologists. Capacity building in the application of science and technology in archaeology. Support is available to archaeologists in the form of consultation or research projects. GIS database for Ahicchatra site Development of SW for documentation of antiquities at Ahicchatra Capacity building in application of Geoinformatics in Archaeology Ground Penetrating Radar profiling of Ahicchatra site

Present financial profile Presently activities of the center are supported by projects funded by Archaeological Survey of India, AICTE and DST (~ Rs. 45 lakhs). Various shot term courses have been supported by ASI and AICTE.

Future course of action Pursuing ongoing projects Efforts are on to establish – Thermo-luminescence (TL) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) Laboratory – Archaeomaterials laboratory Developing database of monuments and antiquities of nationally protected sites Salvage Archaeology: Mapping of archaeological heritage sites along the Ganga Expressway project. Collaboration with the University of Allahabad

Terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) has been acquired, Training scheduled from 21 May. The equipment will be used for laser scanning of Rumi Gate (Lucknow) and other nationally protected monuments. Creation of virtual museum with UoA. Reconstruction of Ghoshitaram Monastery, Kaushambi. Use of breakdown laser spectroscopy for digital signatures (finger printing) of artifacts, UoA.

Research projects under consideration Seismic retrofitting and strengthening along with Photogrammetric and LiDAR Scanning of monument. – Rumi Gate at Lucknow was identified as the monument to be taken up for this work. Scanning of antiquities and development of software for National Database Centre. Study of archaeomaterials. Collection of stratigraphic sediment slices using Geo-slicer. Laser scanning of main monuments (to be integrated with National Mission of ASI). Earthquake Archaeological investigations around Mainland and Great Rann of Kachchh: Implications on Harappan settlement in Gujarat, India.