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Academic Recognition for Bead Research

The Indian Society of Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies has awarded Alok Kumar Kanungo the Dr. Malati Nagar Ethnoarchaeological Award in Baroda (Vadadora) India on 22 November 2001.

So what? Well, I am tickled pink because it is all about beads. Kanungo, an early Horace Beck Grant awardee, was recognized for the work he has done tying archaeological and ethnographic information on beads together. One of his major papers is available here.

The ISPQS is the top archaeological society in India. By giving this award for bead research they are acknowledging the growing importance of this topic.

I have known Alok Kumar for several years. He is a scholar committed to bead research through and beyond his doctorate. He is one of the new, young bead researchers now coming up, especially in Asia.

The award was named for Dr Malti Nagar, who was a professor of mine for several years at Deccan College (Pune, India). Trained as an ethnographer, the influence of the archaeologists with whom she worked caused her to draw parallels between behavior seen in the archaeological record and that seen in modern analogous societies.

This was especially useful at Inamgaon, a large farming community not from the city of Pune, abandoned by the 7^th century BC. This gave an interesting new picture about how some things were done in the past. Inamgaon was also one of the first archaeological sites I worked on.

Congratulations, Alok Kumar.
Pete

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