Mumbai: Sathaye College To Host 3-Day Archaeological Exhibition Featuring Shivaji Maharaj's Replica Footprint, Rock Samples, Fossils & Other Artifacts

For the first time in Mumbai, academicians from the field of archaeology are putting together an exhibition of artifacts from geological and human history for the interest of students and archaeology enthusiasts. The three-day exhibition at Sathaye College, Vile Parke, which starts on December 15, will feature exhibits like a replica of the foot impression of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, rock samples from Mumbai, fossils, and a sculpture of Varaha found in Chaul, Alibaug, apart from coin collections. 

The exhibition is being held by the Department of Archaeology, Centre of Extra Mural Studies, University of Mumbai, in partnership with the Department of Ancient Indian Culture, Buddhist Studies, and the Department of Mass Media of the Parle Tilak Vidyalaya Association’s Sathaye College.

Details of event

The event is part of the celebration of the 115th and 109th birth anniversaries of archaeologist H D Sankalia and numismatist P L Gupta respectively. Suraj Pandit, professor of ancient Indian culture at Sathaye College, said the exhibition aimed to introduce archaeology to young minds. "There are no openings for archaeology aspirants and learners. What we are doing is to bring various fields of archaeology under one roof. Every subfield of archaeology is introduced at the exhibition," said Pandit.

The exhibition covers epigraphy or the study of inscriptions, iconography or the study of statues, and pottery, numismatics or research on coins, and geoarcheology, a recent field of research where earth sciences are used to solve archeological questions.

The artifacts at the exhibition have been sourced from the museums at Sathaye College and the University of Mumbai's Department of Archaeology, which offer courses in the subject, and from private collections. The artifacts will use archaeology to tell the story of human evolution,  right from the stone tools used by early humans to the dawn of trade and cultural exchanges, exemplified by the display of coins from the Satavahana period, Harappan pottery, manuscripts, samples of ancient ornaments, and ancient sculptures. 

'The Story of Mumbai' and other highlights

To make the event accessible for differently abled individuals, there will be audio guides of the exhibition in English and Marathi. As part of the efforts to popularise archaeology as a field of study, the organisers have included a poster exhibition titled 'The Story of Mumbai' which will provide a comprehensive overview of the historical evolution of Mumbai.

Another exhibition 'Careers in Archaeology' will discuss potential career paths within the field of archaeology. The event will also feature demonstrations of traditional Indian games like ‘Langdi paani’ and ‘Saripat’.