Frequently Asked Questions for:
Q. What is excavation?

Ans. The AMASR Act does not give any definition of the excavation. However the Recommendation on International Principles Applicable to Archaeological Excavations made by the General Conference of the UNESCO, at its ninth session at New Delhi in 1956, defines the excavation in detail. According to the Article 1 of UNESCO recommendation “by archaeological excavations is meant any research aimed at the discovery of objects of archaeological character, whether such research involves digging of the ground or systematic exploration of its surface or is carried out on the bed or in the sub-soil of inland or territorial waters…”

Q. Who regulates excavations in the country?

Ans. Archaeological site and remains being in the list I and III of the Constitution of India, the Central Government, through the Archaeological Survey of India, regulates all the archaeological excavations in the country.According to the AMASR Act prior approval of the Central Government is a must for undertaking any excavation for archaeological purposes, in any area whether it is protected or other than protected area.