The Nagas, an indigenous group primarily inhabiting Northeast India and parts of Myanmar, are a significant component of the "World's Largest Collections of Himalayan Tribes" in the context of digitized collections, particularly within initiatives focusing on The Himalayan Digitized and The Present Digitizer. This effort underscores the region's immense cultural and historical wealth, extending beyond its well-known geographical and ecological diversity.¹
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Northeast India is a distinctive region within India, notable for its unique geopolitical position, rich ecological diversity, and vibrant cultures. It comprises:
Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim to the north.
Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura to the south.
Nagaland to the east.
Assam and Meghalaya to the west.²
Mizoram and Tripura, specifically, are situated within the tropical zone around 23° N latitude, contributing to the region's varied climate and biodiversity.³ Geographically, Northeast India presents a diverse landscape, ranging from uplands and high-altitude mountains in the north, northeast, east, and southeast, to expansive tablelands and low-lying floodplains in the southwest and west.⁴
Archaeology of Northeast India
Early archaeological efforts in Northeast India commenced during the colonial administration. However, these initial reports were largely confined to surface sites and lacked extensive excavation.⁵ A more comprehensive approach to archaeological research in the region began only after India gained independence, leading to excavations and broader investigations into critical historical and anthropological issues.⁶
These research endeavors have aimed to address several key areas:
Hominin Dispersal Routes: Identifying possible pathways through which early human populations migrated into and across the region.⁷
Paleolithic History: Exploring the Paleolithic period using insights derived from both archaeological and geological data, shedding light on early human habitation and tool-making.⁸
Early Plant Domestication: Investigating the potential for early domestication of various plant species indigenous to the region.⁹
Early Agriculture: Examining evidence related to the beginnings of agriculture, including staple crops such as rice, millet, and tuber crops, which are central to the diets of many local communities.¹⁰
Despite the significant potential for historical archaeology in Northeast India, comprehensive research on certain crucial aspects has remained somewhat limited in scope. These areas include the rise of early urban centers, the formation of early states, the emergence of structured village settlements with ancestral sites, and detailed studies of later historical periods.¹¹ The focus on digitizing the collections related to Himalayan tribes, including the Nagas, therefore plays a crucial role in making this rich, yet often underexplored, history more accessible for future research and public understanding.
Notes
"The Himalayan Digitized," Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford, accessed July 28, 2025,
https://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/the-himalayan-digitized "Northeast India," Wikipedia, accessed July 28, 2025,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_India Ibid.
Ibid.
T. C. Sharma, "Prehistoric Archaeology of Assam: A Study of the Palaeolithic and Neolithic Cultures," Journal of Assam Research Society 24 (1981): 1-10.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Ibid.
B. K. Sahay, "Archaeological Research in North-East India: A Review," Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 71 (2010): 989-998.
