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Time of India
6 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
Nagaland Univ launches studies to explore prehistoric Naga life
Guwahati: Nagaland University has launched archaeological studies to explore the life of prehistoric Naga communities, seeking to uncover climate adaptation methods that could bolster current food security in Nagaland. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Australian Research Council is supporting this interdisciplinary community research from 2025 to 2028. The study examines life dating back 11,000 years (Holocene epoch) and the Anthropocene period when humans began affecting the environment significantly. Researchers are investigating two site types — prehistoric locations potentially containing pre-agricultural evidence and Naga ancestral village sites typically located beneath present-day village settlements. Researchers note these ancestral locations represent pre-colonial indigenous habitation and serve as collective memory repositories for descendant groups, particularly in migration narratives from key dispersal points. "We work with communities to uncover the deep history of their villages, to see how their food systems changed through time and to identify any past adaptations they made to altered climatic conditions. Using this knowledge and wider scientific studies, our research will include suggestions and advice that may assist indigenous communities towards further adaptation in the face of an increasingly environmentally unstable future," said Prof Alison Betts from The University of Sydney. This project combines past studies, community involvement, agriculture and sustainability. While distinctive in structure, the researchers felt that it could serve as a template for comparable research elsewhere. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Prof Tiatoshi Jamir from Nagaland University's department of history and archaeology reported completing initial research at Langa village in Shamator district. "As part of our work targeted towards public outreach, we produced a short community archaeology film documenting the traditional oral history of the village and the archaeology of this ancestral site with the collaborative efforts of the local communities of Langa, Kuthur, and Yimkhiung Tribal Council. Further study of a similar nature is also ongoing in New Phor (Burakha), Meluri district, with the support of the local community of New Phor and Pochury Hoho," he added. This collaborative study involves Nagaland University, University of Sydney, La Trobe University, University of York, and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, supported by Nagaland's department of art and culture.
India Today
12 hours ago
- Science
- India Today
Nagaland University unearths ancient farming clues to tackle food security crisis
As the world turns back the clock looking for solutions to the climate and food crises of the day, Nagaland University has taken a step that can bring new possibilities in tackling the challenges of the climate crisis and how to live university, assisted by international partners, is spearheading a research programme that looks centuries back -- literally -- into the prehistoric existence of the Naga people, the Naga Australian Research Council project from 2025 to 2028 is a collaborative project between Nagaland University, the University of Sydney, La Trobe University, the University of York, and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow. The Nagaland Department of Art and Culture provides local the heart of this project is the quest for evidence in the Holocene and Anthropocene periods -- thousands of years of Naga history. The goal? To determine how past generations of Naga lived, survived, and harvested resources under times of environmental IN LANGA AND NEW PHOR TRACES CLIMATE-SMART FARMINGProject director is Professor Tiatoshi Jamir of Nagaland University, and he is working in collaboration with Indigenous team is exploring two kinds of sites -- early pre-agricultural sites and ancient village settlements that are covered by modern villages. advertisement One of the locations so far explored is Langa in Shamator district, previously abandoned but resettled today. Oral histories with the elderly and excavations go a long way in piecing together the past. The team has also produced a short film covering the process with the assistance of local tribal research is also underway in Meluri district's New Phor village, sponsored by the Pochury Hoho. Researchers are hoping that the research will reveal how past agriculture practices responded to changing climates -- and if some of the solutions can be transferred to the food system studies entail scientific methods including dating through analysis of burnt plant remains, analysis of residues of food in pots, and analysis of microfossilised plants (phytoliths) in can provide us with details of diets and farming in ancient PRACTICES THAT MAY HOLD KEYS TO MODERN FOOD SECURITYUniversity of Sydney Professor Alison Betts says the knowledge of past adaptations can assist modern societies in preparing better for the uncertain integrating archaeology, oral history, and science, this project has the capacity to influence how Nagaland will be addressing food security and climate resilience in the future. Scientists also attempt to research the health impact of conventional food preservation and processing methods since they chart long-term environmental condition a state like Nagaland, where jhum cultivation -- also known as slash-and-burn agriculture-- and other cultivation habits have come under criticism, the research offers new research shows that such systems enhance biodiversity and crop resilience, which challenges earlier DO SUCH STUDIES MATTER?Nagaland has a deep-rooted history of sustainable agriculture shaped by generations of traditional knowledge and land management. However, these systems face growing challenges as more young people migrate to urban areas, and climate-related disruptions make traditional farming harder to jhum method has often been viewed critically for its impact on newer scientific perspectives are re-evaluating this view. Recent research suggests that such rotational farming systems may actually play a role in preserving biodiversity, maintaining crop variety, and supporting resilience against climate extremes and social this context, archaeological studies become essential. Researchers are combining archaeological methods with fieldwork to track environmental shifts over connecting changes in ancient farming and food systems with historical climate data, the project aims to understand how earlier communities adapted to similar environmental pressures.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
Nagaland University conducting archaeological research on prehistoric life of Naga communities
Guwahati: The Nagaland University is conducting archaeological research of the prehistoric life of Naga communities , seeking climate change mitigation strategies that can aid in providing food security in Nagaland. A University official said that the study covers the Holocene and Anthropocene geological time periods. He said that to respect the heritage and traditional knowledge of Indigenous communities associated with Naga ancestral sites, the researchers are working with indigenous populations and are actively engaging in community-based participatory research. These practices not only acknowledge local ownership rights but also deeply enrich the scientific inquiry. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Comfortably: 60 m² Prefab Bungalow for Seniors in El Bouni Pre Fabricated Homes | Search Ads Search Now Undo The core of this project is archaeology and palaeoclimate research towards establishing a basic understanding of the history of Naga life from earliest times to the recent past. To date, little work has been done in this field, and the story of the deep Naga past is fragmentary, lacking details and a well-dated chronology. Live Events The team is studying two kinds of sites -- Prehistoric sites, where they hope to find clues to the pre-agricultural past and the Naga ancestral village sites, mostly lying beneath modern village settlements. These ancestral sites represent pre-colonial indigenous occupation and serve as a collective memory for groups of descent, for example, as part of narratives of group migrations from prominent sites of dispersal. This community-driven multi-disciplinary study is funded for four years (2025-2028) by the Australian Research Council, a Commonwealth organisation within the Australian government. It is a collaboration between Nagaland University, University of Sydney, La Trobe University, University of York and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, Lucknow, with the local government support from the Department of Art and Culture under the state government, the official said. The outcomes of this project would include targeted information for the communities in which the team works, a large number of scientific publications, and wide-ranging community dissemination of key recommendations for actions towards sustainability across Nagaland. This project is being led by a team of researchers headed by Prof. Tiatoshi Jamir, Department of History and Archaeology, Nagaland University and also includes researchers from various universities. Elaborating on the importance of this research, Prof. Alison Betts, The University of Sydney, said, 'We work with communities to uncover the deep history of their villages, to see how their food systems have changed through time and to identify any past adaptations they may have made to altered climatic conditions.' 'Using this knowledge and wider scientific studies, our research will include suggestions and advice that may assist Indigenous communities towards further adaptation in the face of an increasingly environmentally unstable future,' he said. Prof. Tiatoshi Jamir, who led the research team, further adds, 'We have already conducted a pilot study at the village of Langa (Shamator District). Langa was abandoned at some point in the historical past and has only recently been reoccupied. The village elders provided their own oral history of the first establishment and the reasons for abandonment.' He said that excavations have uncovered the remains of an earlier village settlement. 'As part of our work targeted towards public outreach, we have produced a short community archaeology film documenting the traditional oral history of the village and the archaeology of this ancestral site with the collaborative efforts of the local communities of Langa, Kuthur, and Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC). Further study of a similar nature is also ongoing at New Phor (Burakha), Meluri District, with the support of the local community of New Phor and Pochury Hoho,' Prof Jamir said. The project is a pioneering multi-disciplinary approach to the study of the past, community engagement, agriculture and sustainability. It is innovative and unique in its structure, but it may act as a model for similar work elsewhere. The study of the past to inform the future is an increasing trend in academic research, particularly in light of diminishing ecosystems, the loss of traditional knowledge, and the urgent need to develop sustainable food security in the face of impending dramatic environmental change. The varsity official said that Nagaland has a long, rich history of sustainable agricultural practices, built on hundreds of years of complex management and a wealth of traditional knowledge. 'Today, changes are coming with younger generations leaving the villages and long-term agricultural systems under increasing threat from unpredictable and potentially damaging climatic events,' he said. The age-old 'jhum' system (slash-and-burn method farming) has been criticised for its supposed environmentally damaging practices of forest clearance and burning. This viewpoint has recently been challenged through new scientific studies, which suggest that cyclical cultivation systems are vital for natural biodiversity, genetic agro-diversity, resilience to extreme weather, mitigation of crop homogenisation and social stability. Archaeological research will be paired with fieldwork to reconstruct thousands of years of environmental change. Mapping shifts in ancient economic practices to climatic sequences will show how people have responded in the past to challenges of fluctuating climatic conditions. Team members will study the residues of ancient pottery to determine past culinary practices. Soil studies will recover phytoliths, unique microscopic silica bodies formed in vegetation that can indicate the presence of identifiable plant species. Charred plant remains will provide samples for radiocarbon dating to establish a historical timeline of change and development. The nutritional value of various elements of the Naga diet will be studied to examine the health implications of traditional techniques for preserving foods.
