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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
Profile and Scope of the Museum of Archaeology
Ambika Patel*
The State of Gujarat is rich with muscums for their variety and number. This great varicty of museums ranges from encyclopedic ones like Baroda Museum and Picture Gallery to specialised muscums like Calico Muscum. Among them the Museum of Archacology, Department of Archacology, Faculty of Arts, M.S.University has its own place as a University departmental muscum. It is specialised for its archaeological nature with high authenticity. So far no work has been donc towards either understanding the profile of this muscum or for providing information regarding the museum. No published information is available regarding its collection, purposes, documentation, type of display, activities and communication programmes etc.
Museums assume an active role among different communities in a nation. These also aspire to contributo positively in appropriate ways for the social development, education, culture and the general progress of the country. Being a university as well as departmental muscum, target audience of our museum is at a higher level. They range from school children to cminent scholars of various subjects. Unfortunately lacunas are more in the process of functioning of this departmental muscum such as dcarth of personnel, space and funding. Establishment and History :
As a result of the sincere effort of Shrimati Hansa Mehta, the first Vice Chancellor of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Archacology was introduced as a subject to be taught in this university in 1950. It was a historic decision, taken for the scientific management of cultural and historical heritage institutionally. With the help of eminent archacologist, Shri H.D.Sankalia of Deccan College, Pune, this university was able to start the Department of Archcology. Sankalia sent one of his best students. B.Subbarao to teach Archacology in M.S.University. Thus in 1951 the Department of Archaeology started functioning with Shri Subbarao as its founder member. In the beginning the Department was associated with Archacology Departments of Central and State Government as well as with other academic institutions for its excavation and exploration projects. The various explorations and excavations conducted by the Department from its cstablishment in 1951 to 1956, led to the gathering of large number of archacological materials. In view of the preservation of cxplored and excavated materials, a small museum was set up in this Department in 1956. Increased collection of archacological materials year after year made the authorities to appoint a person to manage the museum and tcach at the postgraduate level as well. Late Prof. R.N.Mehta was appointed as the first curator cum lecturer in the Department of Archaeology
* Department of Archacology and Ancient Hisotry, Faculty of Arts, M.S.University of Baroda
ulas. Eluruuis - Bulsel.-da.-Cal., 2009.40
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