Hi Friends,
Check out my article publication in
Parsi Times Newspaper dated 7th December 2013, on Career in Archaeology:
Finding Treasure and History.
Article Title: Career in Archaeology:
Finding Treasure and History
Article Date: 7th December,
2013
Article on: Parsi Times
Newspaper
Article Author: Farzad Minoo
Damania
You can read the entire transcript of the article below:
I am sure you must have read or heard about the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI) conducting excavation work in Unnao village of Uttar
Pradesh in pursuit of finding 1000 tonnes gold treasure. As a student, you
might have thought of getting into engineering, accounts, management, teaching,
acting, and so on. But, have you thought about a career in the field of Archaeology?
The word archaeology is derived from two Greek words 'archaios' meaning ‘ancient things’ and
'logos' meaning ‘theory of science’.
Archaeology is an inter-disciplinary field which draws help from varied subjects
such as history, anthropology, geography, geology, literature, linguistics,
palaeontology, chemistry and art. It is the study of past civilization by
recovering and analysing historical materials and historical data. It thus
relates to piecing together the past, step by step, and trying to complete the
jigsaw puzzle.
Roles and
Responsibilities:
As an archaeologist, you will be examining ancient sites and conducting
research to learn about past human life and culture. You will have to inspect,
recover, and conserve artifacts (pottery, tools, architectural remains, coins, cave
paintings) and human remains (skeletal) from past human cultures. Based on your
research and experiments, you will have to write reports about your findings
and give necessary recommendations on issues such as site conservation. You
will also get an opportunity to work closely with historians, conservators,
forensic science experts, geologists and sociologists.
Personality
Traits:
You should possess good observation skills, an analytical bent
of mind with keen desire to learn about past culture and civilization. You must
have physical stamina to work outdoors in uncomfortable conditions. Work at a
given excavation site can be very lengthy and slow; and can last from few
months to years. It is a very demanding and challenging job. Thus you need to
be extremely patient, focussed and determined in your work. Strong critical
thinking and problem solving ability to draw logical conclusions from site observations
and laboratory experiments is also important.
Courses and Colleges:
Archaeology courses are mostly offered at post graduate level. So
you need to first complete your graduation in any discipline, but it is
preferable to have a Bachelor’s degree in History, Anthropology or Sociology. This
should be followed by Master’s degree in Archaeology, Anthropology, Ancient /
Medieval Indian History, or Classical Languages such as Pali or Persian. Few
good universities that offer these courses are: Institute of Archaeology (ASI)
– Delhi, Banaras Hindu University – Varanasi, Delhi Institute of Heritage
Research & Management – New Delhi, MS University of Baroda – Gujarat, and
University of Madras – Chennai.
Job
Opportunities:
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is the major recruiter
for archaeologists across India. Recruitment is conducted by the Union Public
Service Commission (UPSC) and various state public service commissions. Other government
organizations that employ archaeologists are: Indian Council of Historical
Research (ICHR), National Archives of India, Indian Council of Cultural
Relations (ICCR), All India Handicrafts Board, and Indian National Trust for
Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Cultural and historical divisions of
Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Defence also employ
archaeologists. You could also work as curator, heritage conservator,
archivist, surveyor, tourist guide, interpreter, heritage manager, archaeology
professor or researcher, numismatist and epigraphist.
Salary
Remuneration:
Salaries will vary depending on your skills, abilities and
experience. You may start with a salary of Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 12,000 per month. Experienced
Archaeologists can earn Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 30,000 per month. Having a Ph.D. in Archaeology will be an
added advantage.
For all your career queries, career
counselling, aptitude tests, and career guidance in Mumbai, Thane and Navi
Mumbai areas, please feel free to reach out to me on farzad.damania@gmail.com
or 9833971773.
Your feedback is highly appreciated.
Best Regards,
Farzad Minoo Damania
Career Counsellor, Psychotherapist
& Trainer
Founder - Career Nurturer
Mob: 9833971773
Career
Nurturer: Career Counselling, Career Counselling in Mumbai, Career
Counsellor, Career Counsellor in Mumbai, Career Counselling Centres
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