Exploring Bone Tool Technology through Experimental Archaeology: My Journey as a Young Researcher from India
Blog by Nibedita Naskar
Hello everyone in the EXARC community,
I am Nibedita Naskar, a PhD student in Archaeozoology at Deccan College, Pune, India. I am sharing this short post to connect, learn, and hopefully grow through the vibrant experimental archaeology network that EXARC offers.
My academic path brings me deep into the study of bone tool technologies in ancient India, especially from the Neolithic to the Historical period. But beyond analysing bone tools in the lab or through typologies, I am more drawn to understanding how these tools were made, used, and modified something that can only be truly explored through experimental replication and use-wear analysis. Lately, I have been conducting small-scale experiments on replicating bone tools and observing use-traces. These trials have helped me develop a basic framework. However, I know that this is just the beginning. What I am truly seeking now is deeper exposure, technical mentoring, and hands-on training to refine these skills and build something more structured.
🎯 What am I looking for?
*I am keen to join fellowships or training opportunities that allow me to work in labs or with researchers who are already working on bone, antler, or other organic tool technologies.
* I am also interested in collaborating with others working on use-wear analysis protocols, tool-making techniques, and ethnographic parallels.
* I would love to be part of any experimental projects or workshops, even as an observer or assistant, especially those that connect experimental archaeology with regional material culture studies.
* Eventually, I want to showcase the diversity of Indian bone tool traditionsfrom different ecological and cultural zones—to a wider international audience.
As an early-career researcher from South Asia, I sometimes feel the gap in access to structured experimental labs and long-term mentorship. But I am determined to learn and contribute. I see EXARC not only as a platform to present my work but as a learning space, a space where questions, techniques, and field experiences can be shared and discussed across borders.
💡 My long-term goal is to document and compare regional bone tool practices in India and place them within broader archaeological discussions on technology, skill, and adaptation. I believe that showcasing this through EXARC’s open-access network will help integrate South Asian case studies more visibly into global conversations.
If you are a researcher, curator, craftsperson, or lab-based practitioner working in this area and open to mentoring or collaboration, I would be grateful to connect. Also, if there are any upcoming workshops, residencies, or internships, I would love to hear more.
Thank you for taking the time to watch or read this. I look forward to learning from many of you.
With warm regards from India,
Nibedita Naskar PhD Candidate, Deccan College, Pune
✉️ nibeditanaskardc@gmail.com
🎓 Working on: Experimental Bone Tool Replication and Use-Wear in Indian Contexts along with archaeofaunal analysis
🌍 Hoping to contribute to EXARC through South Asian case studies
Blog by Nibedita Naskar