The use and relevance of archaeology in the post-modern world: views from India

The use and relevance of archaeology are often questioned by those in developing nations where economic development has a higher priority. Although archaeology is considered useful to contemporary society, it is not considered equivalent to privileged subjects such as science and technology, healthcare and economics. However, archaeology can be used to a certain extent for the development of the community in areas of tourism and education through museums and parks, independently of, and also additional to, natural heritage tourist attractions. Applied archaeology can be beneficial to contemporary society but needs serious research and implementation. This paper surveys certain issues related to the use and relevance of archaeology, and discusses how it can be used for the betterment of contemporary and future generations in the context of India and other developing nations.