Archaeological Survey of India

The Archaeological Survey of India is the Indian government agency responsible for archaeological research and conserving nationally protected monuments and sites. Founded in 1861, it is among the country’s oldest cultural institutions.

Protected monuments of India: Indian monuments and archaeological sites legally protected by the central government under heritage legislation. These sites are the principal places the Survey maintains and regulates.
Alexander Cunningham: A British army engineer and archaeologist who became the first director general of the Archaeological Survey of India. His appointment in 1871 helped establish the Survey’s early research program.
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958: An Indian law providing for the preservation of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance. It is the central legal basis for protecting monuments under the Survey’s remit.
Mohenjo-daro: A major Bronze Age city of the Indus civilization in present-day Pakistan, excavated extensively in the twentieth century. Survey-led excavations under John Marshall made the city central to accounts of ancient South Asia.
State Archaeology Departments of India: Government departments in Indian states that investigate and protect archaeological heritage within their jurisdictions. They often manage state-protected sites outside the Survey’s central-government remit.
Sanchi: A Buddhist archaeological complex in Madhya Pradesh, known for its stupas, monasteries, and gateways. The Survey protects and conserves this major Buddhist heritage site.
James Prinsep: An English scholar whose decipherment of Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts transformed the study of ancient Indian inscriptions. His decipherment made many inscriptions legible to the archaeologists who followed.
National Monuments Authority: An Indian statutory body that regulates construction and other activity around centrally protected monuments. Its clearance role complements the Survey’s site management and conservation responsibilities.
Harappa: A major Bronze Age city of the Indus civilization in present-day Pakistan. Its excavation helped establish the scale and antiquity of the civilization studied by the Survey.
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage: An Indian nonprofit organization working to conserve natural, built, and cultural heritage. Unlike the Survey, it is a nongovernmental conservation organization.

Linked from 17 pages