Palaeoanthropology

In comparison to other subjects in Indian archaeology and Quaternary studies, palaeoanthropology has declined significantly in recent decades as a prominent academic discipline in the Indian subcontinent. Most archaeological research and teaching in South Asia are largely focused on younger time periods, primarily the protohistoric/Chalcolithic and historical phases. In addition to lack of general interest as well as popularization, another major reason for the decline in palaeoanthropology may be the methodological challenges in interpreting complex palaeoanthropological records, e.g. landform assemblage, palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, assessing contextual integrity of the archaeological evidence (compared to younger sites), etc.