Nagaland University is turning to the past for solutions to climate change and food security by conducting archaeological research into the prehistoric lives of Naga communities.
The university on Monday said researchers are working with indigenous populations through community-based participatory research to respect heritage and traditional knowledge linked to ancestral sites. These practices, it added, not only acknowledge local ownership but enrich scientific inquiry.
The project, focused on archaeology and palaeoclimate research, aims to establish a historical understanding of Naga life. The team is studying prehistoric sites and ancestral village locations, often beneath modern settlements.
Led by Prof. Tiatoshi Jamir of Nagaland University, the team includes experts from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, University of Sydney, La Trobe University and University of York.
A pilot study in Langa (Shamator district), recently reoccupied after historical abandonment, uncovered remains of earlier settlements. A community archaeology film documenting oral histories was produced with support from local tribal councils.
Similar research is underway in New Phor (Meluri district) with the Pochury Hoho’s support.
The project explores traditional jhum (slash-and-burn) farming, now reassessed by new science as crucial for biodiversity and resilience.
Fieldwork will map ancient economic practices against climate change, analyze food residues from pottery, extract phytoliths from soil, and carbon-date charred plant remains to trace dietary and ecological shifts.
The nutritional value of traditional Naga food preservation methods will also be examined.
The four-year (2025–2028) study is funded by the Australian Research Council.