Delivering the presidential address at an endowment lecture programme at the Mythic Society, he said submerging of important study sites in the past few decades, following construction of major dams like Krishna and Tungabhadra, was another constraint for in-depth studies there.
Siddanagoudar said the future of archaeology in Karnataka was bleak as many officials with expertise in the field would retire in three to four years. “With not many takers for archaeology and related courses in universities across the State, there will be lack of a fresh approach to the subject in the coming years,” he said.
Earlier, delivering a lecture on ‘Archaeological studies in Karnataka since independence,’ Dr S. K. Aruni, Deputy Director of the Indian Council for Historical Research, said even though the number of excavations since independence were more in North Karnataka, their scientific study had been lacking.
He said even today, Karnataka was considered a benchmark for many studies related to excavations. The legacy must be continued by attracting youngsters to undertake research in the field.
Aruni gave examples of preliminary excavations in Chandravalli and Brahmagiri sites of Chitradurga and explained how they attracted archaeologists from other countries in those times.
Historians who participated in the event said there was a need to bring out a book focusing on archaeological findings in Bangalore.
Source: Deccan Herald [April 10, 2012]