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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
keeping in view of the aforesaid objectives. With the help of the funding from Uni versity Grants Commission (Rs. 4,25,000/-) a new building was built for Departmen of Archacology and Ancient History in 1960. Two halls on the ground floor wer allotted for the museum and thus the Muscum of Archacology started functioning.
Collection and Storage:
The collection of the museum consists of a wide range of objects like stone tools, pottery, terracotta objects, beads, shell objects, metal objects, sculptures etc belonging to various cultural periods. Our noteworth collections are, Lower Palaeolithic material from Jogpura, Mesolithic tools from rock-shelter at Tarsang, Chalcolithic blade: and carly Harappan remains from Datarana, pre-Harappan pot burial from Nagwada Harappan shell industry from Nageshwar, Mature Harappan material remains and seals from Bagasra, Zinc distillation furnace from Zawar, relic casket containing bodily remains of Buddha and terracotta sculptures of Buddha in Dhyani mudra from Devnimor and Medieval remains from Champaner.
As mentioned earlier, the main mode of collection is exploration and excava tion. As the excavated material comes from the various sites year after year, the collection of the department is increasing and hence problem in storage arises. The Department has a big undergound cellar (26 m x 8m x 2.43m) for its reserve collec tion. The store/cellar is situated in the basement of the main departmental building. I is comprised of one hall (26 m x 9m) and two small rooms. This hall is used not only for the storage of antiquities but also for the storage of various materials and equipmen used for excavations. Hence there is an urgent need for systematic documentation of the muscum collection.
The artifacts are kept in such a manner that they are casily traceable. Apart from the main storage, purpose of the store should be facilitated to have one section where materials such as those photographed and drawn antiquities of various sites are kept for ready reference.
Documentation:
It is universally recognised that, as the role of muscum and its opportunities increases, more importance should be given to documentation. This is essential for active practical use of the collection. Documentation is the precise information classified in a manner to make it readily available and acts as a control and index of the museum resources. As archaeological museums are meant either exclusively or largely for antiquarian exhibits, emphasis should be made in registration procedures, furnishing precise permanent unchallengable evidence of authenticity. In long run this can even discourage theft, smuggling, illicit trade etc.
Prof. R.N.Mehta developed a basic documentation system during his time. He exercised documentation of the unearthed antiquities in the field in antiquity register as well as in antiquity card. The antiquity register provides information regarding the date
પથિક - દીપોત્સવાંક - ઓક્ટો.-નવે.-ડિસે., ૨૦૦૧ - ૫૧
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