A five-day knapping and skill training in-person workshop for Indian ECRs
“PalaeoHome: The First Cut! - Lower Palaeolithic Tool Use”,
25th August to 29th August
This was a research, discussion and interaction with resource persons-based workshop
with lectures and hands-on activities, experiments and more.
Our ECRs
Chonbenthung Y Ezung
Chonbenthung Y. Ezung is currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Anthropology (3rd Semester) from the Department of Anthropology. He completed his B.Sc. in Anthropology from Kohima Science College with a CGPA of 6.9.
Throughout his academic journey, he has actively engaged in research. During his B.Sc. In his 2nd year, he participated in a group project titled “Assessment of Nutritional Status amongst the Children of Viswema Village.” In his final year, he contributed to a study on the “Comparison between Government and Private Schools in and around Kohima.”
At the postgraduate level, he has continued to pursue research in diverse areas. As part of his M.Sc. 1st year coursework in Physical Anthropology, he undertook a group project on “Museum Studies in Kohima.” Currently, in his 3rd semester, he, along with two classmates, has conducted a fieldwork-based study in Chedima titled “Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Their Relationship with Nutritional Status and Age in a Rural Population in Northeast India.”
He aspires to further contribute to research and academic development in the field of Anthropology.
Deepika Mishra
Deepika Mishra is currently a Ph.D. scholar at Sahitya Sansthan, Janardan Rai Nagar Rajasthan Vidyapeeth, specializing in the study of the Mahi River Basin in southern Rajasthan under the supervision of Prof. Jeewan Singh Kharakwal. She completed her Master’s degree in Ancient Indian History, Culture, and Archaeology from Banaras Hindu University, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Archaeology from JRN Rajasthan Vidyapeeth.
Her field experience includes participation in multiple excavation projects, such as Tighrana (2024), Digh (2024), and Mahavan (2023), contributing to excavation work, antiquity documentation, photography, and related tasks. She also completed a three-month internship with the Department of Art, Culture, and Youth, gaining practical expertise in managing archaeological sites, coordinating staff, and maintaining records.
She has actively participated in several national and international workshops, including Paleoschool 5 (Online), Paleoschool V – 2024 (Explore Odisha) with field training, and a Bio-Cultural Evolution workshop, which enhanced my understanding of prehistoric human adaptation. Additionally, she has undergone use-wear analysis training at AASS, Prayagraj, and recently attended a workshop at IIT Gandhinagar. She continues to receive advanced training under Prof. Prakash Sinha and his team, further strengthening her research and analytical skills. Her professional strengths include clear communication, collaborative teamwork, meticulous documentation, and a strong commitment to the preservation of cultural heritage. Deeply passionate about Stone Age cultures, she continues to expand her expertise through ongoing research and fieldwork.
Malavika Chatterjee
Malavika Chatterjee is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Archaeological Sciences Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar. Her current research investigates lithic variability by integrating 3D scanning, photogrammetry, and geometric morphometrics with traditional typological and technological analyses. She also leads a grant-funded project from Ashoka University on the prehistory of the Delhi–NCR region.
She earned her PhD in Archaeology from the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology at Deccan College Postgraduate and Research Institute, Pune, in December 2023. Her academic interests span Palaeolithic Archaeology, Experimental Knapping, Digital Archaeology, Field Archaeology, and Heritage Tourism.
Dedicated to bridging the gap between academic research and public engagement, Malavika co-hosts Chippin’ Away, a podcast and Instagram initiative on archaeology, and worked as a Heritage Walk Leader and Researcher with Enroute Indian History, interpreting UNESCO World Heritage Sites in New Delhi.
She is a recipient of the Andrew Sherratt Fund (University of Sheffield) and the Society for Archaeological Sciences Student and Early Career Research Support Award. Her work reflects a commitment to combining rigorous archaeological research with innovative digital tools and accessible storytelling to enhance public understanding of the human past.
Niharika Srivastava
Niharika Srivastava holds a background in Ancient Indian History, Culture, and Archaeology from Banaras Hindu University and M.Phil. in Ancient Indian History and Archaeology at Lucknow University. She obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology from the Institute of Archaeology, Archaeological Survey of India, in 2014. She completed her doctoral thesis, entitled “Understanding Acheulian Occupation Pattern at Damdongri, District Raisen, Madhya Pradesh,” at Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute in Pune in 2025. She has also been awarded the Prof. H.D. Sankalia Young Archaeologist Award for her research paper.
Miss Niharika has extensive field experience in archaeological exploration and excavation across various cultural periods. During her brief career in archaeology, she has participated in excavations of historical sites at Ahhichhatra and Latia, as well as prehistoric sites at Damdongri and Tikoda. Additionally, she has conducted independent explorations of prehistoric sites in the vicinity of Damdongri. Furthermore, she has been a team member in exploring rock art sites in the Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh, as well as limestone caves in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, and Acheulian sites in the Aravalli range. She has published several articles in various academic journals.
As a member of the Academy for Archaeological Heritage Research and Training (AAHRT), Miss Niharika has experience teaching both undergraduate and postgraduate students about Prehistory and Archaeological methods. She has provided practical training on various aspects of lithic artefacts and documentation of Rock Art. Her teaching engagements have included universities in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Delhi. Additionally, as part of her role at AAHRT, she has mentored interns.
Puleseno Lcho
Puleseno Lcho is currently pursuing her Masters degree in Anthropology with a specialization in Physical Anthropology at Kohima Science College, Jotsoma. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Kohima Science College, Jotsoma in 2024 achieving a percentage of 71.63%. She completed her 12th standard in science stream from Baptist High Kohima in 2021 with a percentage of 65% and her 10th standard from St Mary’s Cathedral Hr Sec School Kohima in the year 2019 with a percentage of 82.5%.
During her Bachelor’s degree in the year 2022, she conducted fieldwork titled, “Assessment of Nutritional Status among the Children of Viswema Village” The findings indicated that majority of the age group from 3 to 12 years of age were underweight regardless of gender and that the highest percentage underweight children belonged to families with unemployed occupational backgrounds, highlighting category a correlation between nutritional status and socio-economic status. In 2023, she carried out a study on ”Perception, Attitude and Behavior towards Traditional and Modern Medicine in Kohima District”. It showed that the educated population often preferred modern medicines due to their scientific research basis and evidences. It also revealed that a significant portion of the respondents acknowledged both the merits and demerits of both the medical approaches. In the year 2024, a fieldwork on the topic, “A comparative study between the Government and Private Schools of Kohima Town” was conducted. The study revealed that the private schools generally offered superior facilities and infrastructure and quality education also providing a holistic educational support as compared to the government schools. But it is also seen that the government schools had better teacher student ratio and emphasized on preservation of the cultural heritage. During the first year of her Master’s degree, she performed a fieldwork on Museology at the State Museum of Kohima where the study showed the geo-ethnic and thematic arrangement of various artifacts, further leaving the visitors an experience that was both educational and a personally enriched understanding of Nagaland’s heritage. It also highlights some of the challenges faced, especially in terms of maintenance and technological functional.
Pelinglungliu
Pelinglungliu is a postgraduate student from Kohima science college , currently pursuing her master of science (Msc) degree for the academic session 2024-2026.
She completed her 10th standard from Baptist school Jalukie in 2019 , securing 79.2 % . She passed her 12th standard from Pranab vidyapith, Dimapur in 2021 with a percentage of 63.80%. She pursued her bachelor of science (Bsc) from Kohima science college between 2022-2024, graduating with a CGPA of 6.53. she is currently enrolled in her postgraduate (P.G) studies at the same college.
During Bsc 3rd semester ,she conducted fieldwork on the topic title “Assessment of Nutritional Status amon the children of Viswema village”. During Bsc 6th semester, she carried out a dissertation on “A comparative Study between private and Government schools in Kohima towm”. During Msc 1st semester , she participated in a fieldwork -based museology study as part of her Msc curriculum. The field work was conducted at the State Museum, Kohima.
Apart from the academics, Pelinglungliu also actively participated in the National Service Scheme (NSS) during her Bsc studies at Kohima science college, showing her involvement in social and community service.
Our Resource Person
Dr Briana Pobiner
Dr. Briana Pobiner is a paleoanthropologist and museum educator whose research centers on the evolution of Early Stone Age human diets, with a particular focus on meat-eating. Since joining the Smithsonian in 2005 to help put together the Hall of Human Origins at the National Museum of Natural History, in addition to continuing her active field, laboratory, and experimental research programs, she leads the Human Origins Program’s education and outreach efforts. She is also an Associate Research Professor of Anthropology in the Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology at the George Washington University.
Dr Razika Chelli Cheheb
Razika Chelli is a young researcher at the National Center for Prehistoric, Anthropological and Historical Investigations (CNRPAH, Algeria). In 2018, she received her doctoral degree in Quaternary and Prehistory from the University UNIFE of Ferrara (Italy). Her academic and research interests include Paleontology and zooarchaeology exploring early hominid subsistence behavior with emphasis on Taphonomy, Coevolution hominids Carnivores and adaptation to Paleoecology. Currently, she is directing a research project on Taphonomy and Zooarchaeology under the leadership Professor M. Sahnouni to investigate the subsistence behavior and adaptation of the Homo Genius in North Africa (Oldowan sites of Ain Hanech, El-Kherba, Ain Boucherit, and the hominid Acheulean site of Tighennif).
Dr. Chelli is author and co-author of articles indexed in JCR (Journal Citation Reports, such as The science of Nature, Azania, Neues Jahrbuch fur Geologie und Paleontologie Abhandlungen, Journal of Human Evolution, Frontiers in Earth Science, Quaternary Science Reviews, etc.). Other publications include chapters in edited books, conference proceedings and articles in non SCI journals. She is also engaged in teaching Zooarchaeology and Taphonomy at the University of Algiers 2 (Algeria). In addition, she has been member and assessor in committees of a number of PhDs and Master’ theses pertaining to Quaternary Sciences and Prehistoric Archaeology.
It is important to point out that R. Chelli actively collaborates with Professor M. Sahnouni inmajor research projects investigating the oldest human occupation in North Africa: i) Ain Boucherit and Ain Hanech sites (Algeria) dated to 2.44-1.8 million years ago, and ii) Homo erectus behavior and adaptation in arid environment through fieldwork and laboratory analyses at the Acheulean site of Tighennif (formerly Ternifine) (Algeria) dated to 1.2-1.0 million years ago.
Dr David Tetso
Dr. David Tetso teaches in the department of anthropology (since 2012) as an Assistant professor at Kohima Science College, Jotsoma, Nagaland. He did his Master’s degree from Deccan college, Post-Graduate and Research Institute (Deemed to be a University), Pune, Maharasthra, in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology in the year 2000, and has completed his PhD from the same institute on the topic “Archaeozoological Aspects of the Ahar Culture of Rajasthan with Special Reference to Balathal, District Udaipur, Rajasthan” in 2007. From 2007 onward, in collaboration with the Department of Art and Culture Govt. of Nagaland, The Anthropological Society of Nagaland, Department of Higher Education Govt. of Nagaland, and the Nagaland University, he has undertaken a number of excavations pertaining to Naga Ancestral Sites, and Prehistoric Sites at different capacities. He has co-authored 2 (two) books “Archaeology of Naga ancestral Sites: Recent Archaeological Investigation at Chungliyimti and Adjoning Sites (Vol. I).” Department of Art and Culture, Government of Nagaland. ISBN: 9789380500775, and “Archaeology of Naga ancestral Sites: Recent Archaeological Investigation in Phek and Kiphire Districts of Nagaland (Vol. II).” department of Art and Culture, Government of Nagaland. ISBN: 9789380500782. He also co-edited a book in (2020, digitally released only) entitled “Archaeology of Mimi Caves (Vol.I)., Kiphire District, Nagaland”, ISBN: 978-81-947285-0-4. He has also published several research papers in journals and chapters in books. His main interests are Social Zooarchaeology and Applied Zooarchaeology.