Penn Museum Curator Named Honorary Fellow of the Indian Archaeological Society
December 2004
Dr. Gregory L. Possehl, curator of the Asian section, University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, and professor of anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, was made an honorary fellow of the Indian Archaeology Society in recognition of his lifelong contribution to India archaeology, especially the study of the enigmatic Harappan Civilization (2500-1900 B.C.). The award was conferred at the society’s annual meeting at the Rai Uma Nath Bali Auditorium in Lucknow, India, from December 28-31, 2004.
Dr. Possehl began his work in Indian archaeology in 1964, and has been a regular participant in the discipline since then. His research projects include the exploration of the Ghelo and Kalubhar valleys in the state of Gujarat and the excavations of the Sorath Harappan sites of Oriyo Timbo, Babar Kot and Rojdi. The excavations at Rojdi, which were conducted over seven seasons, resulted in the definition of the Sorath Harappan as a distinct regional manifestation of the Harappan Civilization and advanced understanding of civilization’s transformation, or “collapse,” at the beginning of the second millennium B.C.
Over his career, Dr. Possehl has authored numerous books and papers contributing to the understanding of the archaeology of the Indian Subcontinent. The Indian Archaeology Society recognized the special importance of the following works:
2003. The Indus Civilization: A Contemporary Perspective. Walnut Creek: Alta Mira Press. (This book won the Choice Magazine Award for Outstanding Academic Book.)
1999. Indus Age: The beginnings. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
1989. Harappan Civilization and Rojdi. Delhi: Oxford & IBH and the American Institute of Indian Studies.
1996. Indus Age: The writing system. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press.
For more information about Dr. Possehl’s recent work, including recent discoveries at the site of Gilund, India, visit the University of Pennsylvania Museum at www.museum.upenn.edu/new/research/possehl/ahar-banas.shtml and www.museum.upenn.edu/new/research/researchers/asian.shtml.
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is dedicated to the study and understanding of human history and diversity. Founded in 1887, the museum has sent more than 400 archaeological and anthropological expeditions to all the inhabited continents of the world. With an active exhibition schedule and educational programming for children and adults, the museum offers the public an opportunity to share in the ongoing discovery of humankind’s collective heritage.