Research scholars Detail

Name of the Scholar Subodha Mendaly

Contact Detail [email protected]

Registration Number 85/2013 N/HISTORY

Name of the P.G. Department of History Department & address Name of the Dr. Pradeep K Behera (Reader in archaeology) Supervisor and , P.G. department of History correspondence address Detail of funding UGC-JRF agency/Scheme Title of the Research Archaeological Investigation in the Middle Topic Valley, : with special reference to the Bonaigarh Subdivision. Abstract of the The Bonaigarh subdivision occupies the Research work(300 southeastern part of the district , words) which belongs to the northeastern hill regions of Orissa highland. While it is flanked by the Panposh subdivision of Sundergarh in the north and Singbhum district of Bihar in the northeast, it is bounded on the south west by the district, and on the east and southeast by the Keonjhar and district of Orissa. Geographically, the area is an isolated hilly tract, covered in all sides by rugged forest clad hills, intersected by a few narrow valleys, which connect it with the adjoining areas. The river Bramhani, and its several tributaries, which constitute the largest river system in the district Sundergarh, drain in this area. The dense forest growth in this area provides natural habitat, for a large number of wild animals. As well as suitable economic base to the local aborigines. However, G. C. Mohapatra and P.K.Behera carried out sporadic investigations in Bramhani River. They have reported some middle Stone Age sites besides; they have also found the material remains belonging to the other cultural periods, which indicate the prehistoric potentiality of this area. However, they selected a very wide region for their field research; they could not examine any particular area intensively for obvious reasons. Therefore, in order to locate sites in primary context with a marked emphasis on their dispersal pattern and techno- typological nature, investigations have been carried out in the middle part of Bramhani River, which laid the discovery of several middle Paleolithic sites. For a detailed study, not only for a better understanding on the techno-typological character of lithic assemblage, but also to know human adaptive strategies in this region from the Pleistocene epoch to Late Holocene.

Progress of the Archaeological exploration in Bonaigarh Research work subdivision has started from the study of topographical maps and satellite images. This is help to discovered many archaeological sites. this sites were belongs to different cultural phase. It includes from the Beginning of Middle Paleolithic to Neolithic and some of the Early historic sites. The sites were found to be associated with erosional surface and most of the sites were situated in the foothill context. During the course of exploration, I choose some of the well representative cluster in these sites because it is not possible to collect eachartifact from the sites and then made a detailed analysis. Also in some of the sites, I used questionnaire schedule and ethnographical data collection methods to understand the prehistoric human adaptation strategies in this region. After collecting this material and ethnographical data from the sites, I followed the systematic classification and stone tool analysis methods, which was already, use by many archaeologists from different parts of the world. Besides, I use different statistical and photography and mapping software for a better graphical representation and comparative analysis in a regional and interregional framework. Nowthe writing of the thesis is continuing. Journal Publication 1. Mendaly, S. 2014, „The Microlithic industries in the Girisul River Valley Western Odisha, A preliminary Report‟, Puratattva, 44, pp 79-82. ISSN- 0970-210, UGC Journal. No -47957 2. Mendaly, S.2015, „A Study of Living Megalithic Tradition Among the Gond Tribes, District-Nuaparha‟, Odisha. Ancient Asia, (6). 9, pp 1-6. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/aa.12328 ISSN- 2042-5937 3. Mendaly S.2016. Menhirs and Cultural Diffusion: Megalithic Practices in Central- Eastern , Antiquity, Cambridge University Press, 90: 352. http://antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/mendaly352. ISSN- 0003-598X, UGC Journal. No - 15837, 4. Mendaly,S. and S. Hussain 2015. Microlithic Industry of Odisha with Particular Reference to Bhalugarh, District- Jharsuguda, Odisha: A Preliminary Report. Heritage – A Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies of Archaeology, 3, pp. 346-36, ISSN- 2347-5463 UGC Journal. No - 63790 5. Hussain..S and S. Mendaly.2015. Asurgarh Sites in Western Odisha: An archaeological study, History Today, 16: 67-71. ISSN- 2249-748X,UGC Journal. No-62656 6. Deep. S and S. Mendaly 2016, Microlithic settlements in lower Ranj stream, District Bargarh, Western Odisha: A preliminary report, Heritage- A Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies of Archaeology, 4, 293-311. ISSN- 2347-5463, UGC Journal. No-63790 7. Behera, P.K., N. Thakur, B. Chatterjee and S.Mendaly 2017. Recent Observation on the Microlithic Assemblages with Pebble- Cobble Components in Odisha, India, in Prof. V. N. Mishra Memorial Volume, 81- 95. ISPQS- Monograph -7, ISBN: 9 78-81- 908330-6-6. Conference attended 1. Presented a paper entitled “Taraporegarh: An Iron Age-Early Historic Circular Fort at Binka, Middle Mahanadi Valley, Odisha”, in National seminar on“Recent trends in Early Historic Archaeology of Eastern India” held at P.G. Department of History, Sambalpur University on 26thMarch 2013. 2. Presented a paper entitled “Early Heritage of Binka: The Fort of Taraporegarh”, in UGC Sponsored National Seminar on “Cultural Heritage of South Kosala” held at Siddhartha College Binka, Suvarnapur from 30th to 31st March 2013. 3. Presented a paper entitled“Microlithic Industries in Girisul River, BargarhOdisha” at the UGC Sponsored National Seminar On “Cultural Heritage Of South Kosala, Siddhartha Degree College Binka , Sonepur, from 30th and 31st March 2013. 4. Presented a paper entitled “Microlithic Research in Odisha: A Recent study on Sapai river, district- Jharsuguda, Odisha” in INQUA-HaBCom International Workshop on Paleo-anthropological Perspective on Plant Communities in South Asia. “Prehistory, Plants & People” 18.1.2016-24.1.2016. Organized by- Sharma Cenre for Heritage Education & French Institute of Pondicherry. 5. Presented a paper entitled “Funeral rituals and megalithic tradition among the Munda tribes, Bonaigarh Sub-division, Sundargarh, Odisha: A preliminary report” at the Indian History Congress, P.G. Department of History, Kerala University, Trivandrum, Kerala. (28th to 30December, 2016). 6. Presented a Paper entitled Prehistoric Investigation in Middle Bramhani River Valley: A Study on Microlithic Culture in Bonaigarh Subdivision, Sundergarh, Odisha,at the 38th sessionof Odisha History Congress,P.G. Department of History, Utkal University, , Odisha.(28th to 29th January 2017). 7. Presented a Paper entitled Megalithic Culture in Odisha: A Recent Study on Living Megalithic Tradition Found among the Munda Tribes in , in National seminar on Anthropological History and Tribal Worlds in India, at Indian Institute of Advanced Study, (RastrapatiNiwas) Shimla, 27-29 March 2017. 8. S. Hussain, S. Deep and S. Mendaly. A Preliminary Survey on Early Medieval Temple ruins of Titlagarh Subdivision, District Bolangir, Odisha, in ICHR Sponsored National seminar held at Panchayat college Bargarh, 19-20 November, 2017. 9. presented a Paper entitled “A study on middle Paleolithic culture in Middle Bramhani Valley: With Special reference to Bonaigarh Subdivision, in Section V: Archaeology, at Indian History Congress, 78th session , 28-30 December, Jadavpur University, Kolkata,West Bengal. Awards JRF