Underwater Archaeology in India: Initiatives of Archaeological Survey of India
Dublin Core
Title
Underwater Archaeology in India: Initiatives of Archaeological Survey of India
Description
India is surrounded by a vast coastline and encircled by a terrific riverine system. Due to this travellers and
merchants easily managed to reach India through sea and riverine connections along with the land routes. The trade
aspect enhanced other integral aspects like cultural interactions and economic exchanges which is why India is
known to all other countries since antiquity. Archaeologically, a wide range of studies have been carried-out in India,
however, the underwater archaeological studies are quite meagre. The history of India cannot be completed without
the inclusion and proper study of its underwater cultural heritage.
To complete a wide gap in underwater archaeological studies, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),
Ministry of Culture (MOC) has been involved in underwater explorations since the 1980s. Collaborations with the
National Institute of Oceanography were done initially for studying and analysing underwater cultural heritage in
India. During this period, many sites were explored along the west coast in the Arabian Sea and along the east coast
in the Bay of Bengal. Sites on the west coast viz. Bet Dwarka, an island in the Gulf of Kachchh, Dwarka, Sopara,
Elephanta and on the east coast such as Arikamedu and Mahabalipuram was explored and investigated. Giving the
subject a more serious thought, an Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW) under the purview of the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI) officially came into existence in 2001. Thereby several activities commenced viz expedition at
Bangaram Island, Dwarka, Mahabalipuram, Loktak Lake (Manipur), Elephanta Island, etc. The topic of this abstract
fits best within session ’29. Underwater Cultural Heritage and Maritime Museums’ because it will highlight the
activities of UAW carried out so far in India along with a glimpse of a maritime gallery in the Archaeological Site
Museum, Goa and new initiatives and challenges in the field of underwater cultural heritage.
merchants easily managed to reach India through sea and riverine connections along with the land routes. The trade
aspect enhanced other integral aspects like cultural interactions and economic exchanges which is why India is
known to all other countries since antiquity. Archaeologically, a wide range of studies have been carried-out in India,
however, the underwater archaeological studies are quite meagre. The history of India cannot be completed without
the inclusion and proper study of its underwater cultural heritage.
To complete a wide gap in underwater archaeological studies, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI),
Ministry of Culture (MOC) has been involved in underwater explorations since the 1980s. Collaborations with the
National Institute of Oceanography were done initially for studying and analysing underwater cultural heritage in
India. During this period, many sites were explored along the west coast in the Arabian Sea and along the east coast
in the Bay of Bengal. Sites on the west coast viz. Bet Dwarka, an island in the Gulf of Kachchh, Dwarka, Sopara,
Elephanta and on the east coast such as Arikamedu and Mahabalipuram was explored and investigated. Giving the
subject a more serious thought, an Underwater Archaeology Wing (UAW) under the purview of the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI) officially came into existence in 2001. Thereby several activities commenced viz expedition at
Bangaram Island, Dwarka, Mahabalipuram, Loktak Lake (Manipur), Elephanta Island, etc. The topic of this abstract
fits best within session ’29. Underwater Cultural Heritage and Maritime Museums’ because it will highlight the
activities of UAW carried out so far in India along with a glimpse of a maritime gallery in the Archaeological Site
Museum, Goa and new initiatives and challenges in the field of underwater cultural heritage.
Creator
Aprajita Sharma
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
2023
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Sharma, Aprajita . 2023. “Underwater Archaeology in India: Initiatives of Archaeological Survey of India.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Arjun Rao. In Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/2027
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Citation
Aprajita Sharma, “Underwater Archaeology in India: Initiatives of Archaeological Survey of India,” APCONF-MUCH Proceedings Recently Added Items, accessed October 24, 2026, https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/items/show/653.