UGC-NET – Paper II: ARCHAEOLOGY (Code: 67)
Exam Cycle: June 2026
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COURSE OVERVIEW
Subject Name: ARCHAEOLOGY
Subject Code: 67
Conducting Body: National Testing Agency (NTA)
Paper Type: Paper-II – ARCHAEOLOGY
Total Marks: 200
Total Questions: 100 MCQs
Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT)
Duration: 3 Hours (Paper I + II)
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LIST OF UNITS
Unit I: Introduction to Archaeology:
Unit II: Introduction to Prehistory
Unit III: Palaeolithic cultural developments in the Indian subcontinent:
Unit IV: Mesolithic and Neolithic cultures:
Unit V: Proto-history:
Unit VI: The Iron Age and growth of new urban centres.
Unit VII: Architecture: A significant source of Indian history
Unit VIII: Palaeography and Epigraphy:
Unit IX: Numismatics: Coins as an important source of history
Unit X: Methodology of archaeological research.
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UNIT-WISE DETAILED SYLLABUS EXTRACTION
Unit I: Introduction to Archaeology:
Topic 1: Introduction to Archaeology:
Definition; aims, scope and ethics of archaeology
history and growth of Archaeology
History of Indian archaeology
Topic 2: Relationship of archaeology with social and natural sciences.
Topic 3: Type and nature of archaeological data.
Topic 4: Retrieval of archaeological data: Methods of explorations and excavations.
(Random and systematic prospections; subsurface investigations using modern techniques such as remote sensing, resistivity surveys)
Recording and documentation
Topic 5: Methods of artefact analysis: categorization, classification and characterization.
Topic 6: Methods of interpretation and related issues: Application of sociological and anthropological models:
Ethnography and experimental replication studies
Traditional, Processual and Post-Processual approaches
Preparation of archaeological reports
Topic 7: Conservation and preservation of archaeological remains/sites: Aims and Methods;
Antiquarian laws
Topic 8: Chronology and Dating Methods:
Relative dating: Cultural stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, typology, Fluorine, Nitrogen and Phosphate analysis
Soil analysis
Chronometric methods: Radiocarbon (C[14]), Potassium/Argon, Fission track, Luminescence dating (TL and OSL), Dendrochronology, Palaeomagnetic dating Varve analysis, ESR dating, Obsidian hydration, Cosmogenic nuclides method of dating
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Unit II: Introduction to Prehistory
Topic 1: Prehistoric beginning: Geological, biological and cultural dimensions of humans.
Topic 2: Human origin and Geological time scale: Late Tertiary (Miocene and Miocene) and Quaternary Periods;
Pilo-Pleistocene boundary
Paleomagnetic records
Pleistocene and Holocene epochs
Major environment and climatic changes of Pleistocene
Pleistocene and Marine Isotopic Stages (MIS)
Topic 3: Biostratigraphy of the Pleistocene: Pleistocene flora and Fauna.
Topic 4: Main stages of human evolution and important fossil records: Hominin ancestors of the Late Miocene, Miocene and the Pleistocene:
Pre-Australopiths
Australopiths and Homo
Hypotheses on modern human dispersal
Topic 5: Cultural backdrop: Evolution of stone implements and development of lithic technologies:
The Oldowan
Acheulian and the Flake and Blade based industries of the Stone Age
Topic 6: Palaeolithic cultural development in the world context:
Africa, Europe and South East Asia and China
Early Stone Age, Middle Stone Age and Late Stone Age of Africa
Lower Palaeolithic, Middle Palaeolithic and Upper Palaeolithic of Europe and West Asia
Palaeolithic cultural developments in China and South East Asia
Topic 7: Prehistoric Art: antiquity, significance, distribution.
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Unit III: Palaeolithic cultural developments in the Indian subcontinent:
Topic 1: Geo-chronology and Stone Age cultures of India:
The Sohan Valley and the Potwar Plateau sites in the Sivalik hills
The Belan and Son valleys
Didwana dune 16R in Rajasthan
Kortlayar valley/Attirampakkam in Tamilnadu
Jwalapuram in Andhra Pradesh
Topic 2: Lower Palaeolithic culture: Tool types and lithic technology;
The Sohan industry and its antiquity
The Acheulian industry and its spread into major river valleys: Sites in the Narmada and the Sabarmati valleys, the Belan and the Son valley sites, sites in the Hunsgi and Baichabal valleys, sites in the Krishna and the Godavari valleys, sites in the Kortlayar valley
sites associated with the Playas of Rajasthan
Topic 3: Middle Palaeolithic culture and geographical spread;
Tool types and lithic technology of the Middle Palaeolithic: the prepared core techniques/Levallois technique
Topic 4: The Upper Palaeolithic culture: Tool types and lithic technologies of the Upper Palaeolithic:
Blade and bone implements
geographic distribution and major sites
Topic 5: Prehistoric Art in the Indian context: Antiquity, significance and distribution
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Unit IV: Mesolithic and Neolithic cultures:
Topic 1: Mesolithic in Europe; Epi-Palaeolithic developments in West Asia
Topic 2: Neolithic and Food Production: Neolithic stage in West Asia and China.
Topic 3: Mesolithic culture of the Indian subcontinent: Characteristic features;
Tool types and micro-blade technology
regional variations in tool assemblages
Evidence of incipient stages of food production
Patterns of ecological adaptation and distribution: Sites in the alluvial plains, horseshoe lakes, coastal sites, sand-dune sites, sites in the plateaus and rock-shelter sites
Topic 4: Neolithic cultures of the Indian subcontinent:
Early farming communities of Baluchistan: Mehrgarh and Kili-Gul-Muhammad
Neolithic culture in Kashmir
Neolithic culture in the Central Ganga and Vindhyan region: Koldihwa, Mahagara, Lahuradewa etc
Eastern Neolithic sites: Chirand, Chechar Senuwar, Kuchai, and Baidyapur and the Neolithic culture of the North-Eastern region: Sarutaru, Selbalgiri, Daojali Hading, Marakdola
Neolithic cultural development in the southern peninsular India: Sanganakallu, Pikhlihal, Uttnur, Kodekal, Teklakota, Hallur, Nagarjunakonda and Ash-mound sites
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Unit V: Proto-history:
Topic 1: Courses towards urbanization: The Harappa culture.
Topic 2: Formative stages of the Harappa culture:
Emergence of village farming/Chalcolithic settlements and beginning of regional cultures in the North and North-Western India and Pakistan
Contemporary developments in the Gagghar-Saraswati system and in Gujarat (Pre-Urban /Pre and Early Harappan cultural development)
Topic 3: Early Harappan and the emergence of the Urban Harappan cultural ethos.
Topic 4: Urban Harappan and geographical spread;
settlement features
town planning and architecture
Economic production: the urban-rural dichotomy, agriculture and craft production
Trade and subsistence
standardisation of craft and the Harappan script, evidence of overseas contacts
Socio-political organization
art and evidence of religious beliefs
Authors? Important excavated sites: Mohanjodaro, Harappa, Kalibangan, Lothal, Dholavira, Surkotada, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Bagasra, Rojdi, Rangpur
Regional variations within the material culture: the concept of Sorath and Sindhi/Classical Harappan in Gujarat
Topic 5: Post-Urban Harappan
Decline of the Urban Harappan: causes of decline and different theories on decline
Post-Urban phase: evidence from the Indus valley, Gagghar-Saraswati system and from Gujarat (Post-Urban or Late Harappa cultures of Sindh, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Western Uttar Pradesh)
Topic 6: Other Chalcolithic Cultures of India:
The Copper Hoard and Ochre Coloured Pottery
Chalcolithic cultural remains in the Ganga plain
The Banas/Ahar cultural developments in southern Rajasthan and its antiquity and distribution
The Kayatha assemblage of Madhya Pradesh
The Malwa culture of the Narmada valley and its geographic distribution
Chalcolithic cultures of the Deccan region (Savalda, Malwa, Jorwe cultures)
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Unit VI: The Iron Age and growth of new urban centres.
Topic 1: Antiquity of Iron in India: Early stages of Iron Age, new evidence from Malhar, Dadupur, Raja Nal-ka-tila, Hallur, Kumaranahalli and Kodumanal.
Topic 2: Painted Grey Ware culture: Extent, and Chronology and characteristic traits.
Topic 3: Northern Black Polished Ware culture: Extent, chronology and characteristic traits.
Topic 4: Iron Age in Peninsular India:
The Megalithic culture in peninsular India and beyond: Geographical spread, typology, chronological contexts, cultural artefacts and authors of Megalithic tradition
Topic 5: The beginning of Early Historic period and the emergence of Urban centres in the Ganga Valley and Peninsular India.
Multiple modes of economic production, expansion of trade and development of trade routes
Maritime trade
emergence of new Urban centres
Topic 6: Emergence of urban centres:
Important city sites: Rajghat, Ujjain, Vaisali, Taxila, Mathura, Sravasti, Kausambi, Sisupalgargh etc
Topic 7: Important sites of Historical period:
Sringaverpura, Ahichhatra, Atiranjikhera, Hasthinapur, Khairadih, Chandarketugarh, Nasik, Adam, Satanikota, Nagarjunakonda, Arikamedu, Kodumanal, Pattanam
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Unit VII: Architecture: A significant source of Indian history
Topic 1: The Stupa architecture: Structural Stupas: Origin and development:
North and South Indian stupas
Topic 2: Development of Rock-cut architecture: Origin and Development –
Buddhist
Brahmanical and Jain
Topic 3: Temple Architecture: Origin and development of temples,
Main features of the temple architecture
features and development of distinct architectural styles of Nagara, Vesara, Dravida and Bhumija temples
Gupta, Chalukyan, Pallava and Rashtrakuta temples
Regional styles: Khajuraho temples, Temples of Odisha and Chola temples
Topic 4: Art and Iconography
Sculptural Art: Stone and Bronze: Antiquity and development: The Mauryan pillar capitals, early Yaksha-Yakshi images, Shunga, Western Kshatrapa, Satvahana sculptures
the Kushana sculptures: Mathura and Gandhara Schools
Gupta sculptures: Saranath school
Chalukya, Pallava
Pala, Chandela, Chola and Hoysala sculptures
Topic 5: Iconography
Brahma
Vishnu
Shiva
Kartikeya
Ganesha
Surya
Shakti
Tirthankara (Rishabh dev, Parshvanath and Mahavira)
Buddha
Bodhisattva and Tara
Topic 6: Terracotta Art: Mauryan to the Gupta period
Topic 7: Paintings: Rock-cut cave paintings: Ajanta, Bagh and Sittanavasa!
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Unit VIII: Palaeography and Epigraphy:
Topic 1: Epigraphy as a source of Indian history:
Origin and antiquity of writing in India
Origin and development of Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts: Various theories
Topic 2: Study of selected inscriptions:
Asokan Edicts: Rock Edicts II, X, XII, XIII
Lumbini inscription of Asoka
Minor rock edict of Bairat
Besnagar Garuda pillar inscription
Hathigumpha inscription of Kharvela
Ushavadata inscription in Nasik cave 10
Junagadh inscription of Rudradaman
Nasik cave III inscription of Vasishtaputra Pulmavi Year 19
Swat relic casket inscription
Saranath Buddha image inscription
Lucknow museum Jain image inscription of the time of Huviska
Allahabad pillar inscription of Samudragupta
Bhitri inscription of Skandagupta
Aihole pillar inscription of Pulkesin II
Gwalior inscription of Mihir Bhoja
Khalimpur copper plate of Dharmpala
Sanjan copper plate of Amoghavarsha
Mandsor inscription of Yeshovaran
Truvalangad copper plates of Rajendra Chola year 6 and Sangli copper plate of Govinda IV
Tharsapalli copper plates
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Unit IX: Numismatics: Coins as an important source of history
Topic 1: Origin and antiquity of coinage in ancient India.
Topic 2: Technique/Methods of manufacturing coins:
Silver
copper
gold and alloys
Topic 3: Main type of coins:
Punch marked coins
inscribed and un-inscribed cast coins
Janpada and tribal coins
Indo-Greek coins
Saka-Kashtrapa, Kushana and Satavahana coinage
Coins of the Gupta dynasty
Roman coins
Brief account of Early Medieval Indian coinage
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Unit X: Methodology of archaeological research.
Topic 1: Role and characteristics of research, research ethics, methods of research;
case studies and field investigations
Hypothesis formulation and research design
Topic 2: data collection and processing: Primary and secondary sources, use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in archaeological research;
Methods of systematic referencing
Systematic presentation of data and results
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EXAM STRUCTURE (Standard UGC-NET Paper-II Pattern)
Paper-II: Subject Specific Examination
Total Questions: 100
Total Marks: 200
Question Type: MCQ Only
Negative Marking: No
Duration: 3 Hours (Combined with Paper I)
Mode: Computer Based Test (CBT)
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SYLLABUS SUMMARY (Auto-generated)
Total Units: 10
Total Topics: 48
Subject: ARCHAEOLOGY
Subject Code: 67
Exam Category: UGC-NET Paper-II
“As per the latest official syllabus.”