Center for Archaeological Studies

Center for Archaeological Studies CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES CONTENTS 03 Message 04 Vision and Mission 05 07 Projects 09 Educating Archaeology 21 Educational Tour 22 Training and Workshop 23 Seminar and Publication Message Archaeology is a scientific study of the past life ways through material evidences that people of the past have left behind. Bangladesh is very rich with its archaeological heritage dating from the prehistoric period to the recent past. Detail research on numerous archaeological sites is yet to be carried out which is not only essential but a prerequisite for understanding the political, social, economic, religious and cultural history of Bangladesh. ULAB’s Center for Archaeological Studies (CAS) aims to conduct regular archaeological explorations, excavations and problem oriented archaeological research in order to fill the gaps in the history and culture of Bangladesh. In addition, CAS has undertaken various projects for disseminating knowledge of the country’s rich archaeological heritage to the wider community at home and abroad. Certainly CAS would contribute to the cultural heritage management policy and development of the sustainable tourism in Bangladesh. Shahnaj Husne Jahan, Ph.D Director, Center for Archaeological Studies (CAS) University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 03 Vision Archaeology for all Mission The main task of CAS is to create awareness for preserving archaeological heritage, promote archaeological research through community initiatives, strengthen archaeology and heritage education, promote sustainable tourism and committed to interact between archaeology and scientific disciplines engaged in the study of the past. 04 CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES Shahnaj Husne Jahan, Ph.D Professor Shahnaj Husne Jahan is the founder director of the Center for Archaeological Studies (CAS). She is involved in teaching and research in archaeology of South and Southeast Asia, maritime archaeology, art and architecture, cultural heritage management, museology and Indian Ocean trade. She completed MA in Islamic Art and Archaeology from the Department of Islamic History and Culture, University of Dhaka in 1991. She accomplished M. Phil in 1997 and Ph.D in 2004, both from the Department of Archaeology, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, India. As a professional archaeologist, she has built up a record of enviable experience from participation at several excavations in India and Bangladesh. Since 2008, she has been excavating Bhitargarh archaeological site in Panchagarh district, the largest fortified settlement in Bangladesh where she has not only unearthed significant CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 05 structural remains but also developed various strategies to stimulate public interest in heritage preservation and management. Dr. Shahnaj has four books and numerous research articles on art and archaeology published in renowned journals and edited books at home and abroad to her credit. She received Anannya Top Ten 2008 award for her significant contributions to the field of archaeology in Bangladesh and Asia Fellow Award 2010-2011 by the Asian Scholarship Foundation for undertaking a research on maritime trade between Bengal and Thailand. Ahmed Sharif Ahmed Sharif is a Lecturer and Research Associate at CAS. Ahmed completed his BSS and MSS from the 06 CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES Department of Archaeology, Jahangirnagar University. Currently he is engaged in Ph.D research at the same university. Ahmed Sharif’s research interests lie in material culture, field archaeology, alluvial geoarchaeology and community archaeology. Syeda Nishita Aurnab Syeda Nishita Aurnab is a lecturer and Research Associate at CAS. She completed her undergraduate in archaeology from the University of Wales and postgraduate from Durham University in the UK. She used to write on history and archaeology for The Daily Star’s section for children and young adults. Her research interests focus on British, Egyptian and South Asian archaeology. PROJECTS CAS’s ongoing project - archaeological investigation at Bhitargarh, the largest fortified settlement in Panchagarh district is the most important discovery in the region that expected to shed significant light on the past cultural landscapes of Bangladesh in particular and South Asia in general. Professor Shahnaj Husne Jahan has obtained permission from the Department of Archaeology, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to conduct a systematic archaeological explorations and excavations at Bhitargarh in 2008. Since then, CAS is carrying out archaeological excavation and research at Bhitargarh under the direct supervision of Dr. Shahnaj Husne Jahan. The project is funded by ULAB since 2009. CAS is grateful to the 08 CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh for providing annual financial assistance since 2013 for Bhitargarh excavation and research. In addition, CAS has successfully employed various strategies at Bhitargarh to create awareness among the local inhabitants regarding cultural resources, heritage preservation and conservation. CAS organizes regular seminar, workshop, discussion forum and training program for socio-economic development of the community through sustainable tourism. CAS has also trained a number of local inhabitants, especially the landowners and students, in archaeological excavation techniques for creating awareness and envolvement with their own heritage. Archaeology is an interdisciplinary field of study through which material remains of our shared human past are recovered, analyzed, interpreted and received in contemporary society. ULAB is the only educational institution in South Asia that offers archaeology courses under the General Education Program for the students of other disciplines such as Business Administration, Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Media Studies and Journalism, English and Humanities. These courses provide students with hands-on access to ancient materials and strengthens their problem-solving skills. Educating Archaeology to the ULAB students CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 09 GED 204 Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh 10 CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES Culture of the people in Bangladesh has been evolved from the various utilitarian and intellectual practices of the inhabitants for thousands of years. Through this course students investigate Bangladesh’s culture in all its spheres, types and traits and tracing their changes and development over time and establish the historical link between the past and present culture. Moreover, the course introduces various methodologies to appreciate cultural heritage based on an innovative integrated perspective deriving both from the human and the natural sciences. Finally this course has a global approach towards planning and management of Cultural Heritage of Bangladesh. Archaeology plays a critical and unique role in our understanding of the human past. This course introduces students to the way archaeologists use material culture to reconstruct past human behavior. Contemporary issues, such as “whose past is it anyway” are also discussed. GED 225 Introduction to Archaeology CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 11 GED 226 Introduction to Museology 12 CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES The course offers a comprehensive idea on museum studies. Through this course students learn about the history of museums, planning and policy development, rules of antiquity collection, antiquity law, storage system of museum objects, documentation and inventory, planning of display, principles of display objects, conservation and restoration. This course looks at the history of world art and architecture from the beginning to the present. Through this course students learn about the patterns of development in the field of art and architecture; painting, sculpture and minor art as well as world famous monuments, major artists, architects and also methods of interpretation. In addition to examining visual strategies of representation, the course explores the varied ways in which art reflects and shapes social, religious and political concerns. GED 302 History of World Art and Architecture CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 13 GED 324 Experiencing the Past 14 CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES The course is planned to generate a tactile experience of behavior and culture of the past among the students. It begins with a socio-political overview of a particular period of pre-modern history of Bangladesh. Thereafter, the students explore, by means of field survey methods and record material evidences at the site with the help of various documentation techniques. Finally, they reconstruct the past in the same landscape with the help of drawings, models, photographs, graphs, charts etc. CAS offers this course during the semester break before spring semester. This course traces the development of cities and urban centers of the ancient period. Students examine how political, economic, and social institutions influenced the structure of urban centers and shaped the built environment in cities across the world. In turn, they analyze how the structure and design of cities influenced the development of civic institutions. GED 356 Urbanization and Ancient Cities 15 GED 418 South Asian Art and Architecture 16 CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES This course offers a comprehensive idea on South Asian art and architecture from the beginning to the present. Through this course students learn about the patterns of development in the field of art and architecture, painting, sculpture, minor art as well as major artists and architects of South Asia. Besides, they interpret the varied ways in which South Asian art reflects and shapes social, religious, cultural, political and economic milieu of South Asia. This course examines what role the past plays in the present. Why study the past and why preserve it? How has the materiality of the past been represented in different historical and cultural contexts and for what purposes? How do various indigenous, ethnic, and nationalist narratives of struggle give shape to reconstruct a history? GED 466 Who Owns the Past? CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 17 Educating Archaeology to the Children 18 Children are trained in archaeological exploration, excavation and documentation techniques under this program that provides them with hands-on access to ancient materials and develop their knowledge on ancient civilizations of Bangladesh. Local inhabitants, especially the landowners of the archaeological sites, are trained in archaeological exploration, excavation and documentation techniques under this program, so as to make it possible for them to be a part of the archaeological investigation team and thus stake a rightful claim to their own heritage. Educating Archaeology to the local Community CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 19 Educational Tour CAS organizes regular guided tours to the archaeological sites, monuments and museums. CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 21 Training and Workshop 22 CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES CAS organizes training and workshop to provide the basic know-how of the most recent methodologies applied to archaeological research, tourism and cultural heritage management as well as offer training in various branches of archaeology through direct research experiences. CAS organizes regular lectures and seminars for exercising and promoting archaeological research in Bangladesh and invites national and international scholars to present their discovery and research. CAS publishes project reports, monographs, books, research papers, occasional papers, conference/seminar/lecture proceedings, brochures, posters, booklets, etc. on Bangladesh archaeology. Seminar and Publication CENTER FOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES 23 House: 56, Road: 4/A, Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh Phone: 0088 02 966 1301, 0088 02 966 1255, Fax: 0088 02 967 0931 Web: cas.ulab.edu.bd, Email: cas@ulab.edu.bd, Facebook: fb.com/ulabcas