The story of archaeology in central India rarely unfolds in textbooks in a neat sequence. It grows through field camps, long seasons of digging, patient cataloguing of fragments, and years spent matching soil layers with historical timelines. In Nagpur, this process has produced a steady stream of serious research that has reshaped how central India’s early history is understood.

From prehistoric settlements along riverbanks to burial grounds marked by stone circles, the region has yielded evidence that challenges older assumptions about how early communities lived and moved.

Much of this work did not come from large metropolitan institutes but from scholars who built their careers in and around Nagpur. Their research has gradually filled large gaps in the historical record of Vidarbha and nearby districts.

1. S B Deo

S B Deo stands among the earliest archaeologists who placed Nagpur firmly on the academic map of Indian archaeology. As Professor and Head of the Department of Ancient Indian Culture and Archaeology at Nagpur University, he converted a small academic unit into a working research centre. The department coordinated continuous field surveys and excavations rather than limiting itself to theory. Under his leadership, archaeology at the university shifted from classroom teaching to structured research anchored in excavation and documentation. His career became closely associated with early scientific approaches to archaeology in central India.

One of his most influential contributions lies in the excavation of Mahurjhari near Nagpur. The site revealed extensive stone circle burials with human remains and grave goods. These burials confirmed that the megalithic tradition was not limited to southern India but extended into central parts of the subcontinent. The findings challenged older academic views that placed such cultures primarily in peninsular regions. Artefacts at the site included iron objects, pottery, and beads which were carefully catalogued and studied. The scale of the burial ground showed that it had not been used sporadically but served as a major centre across generations.

At Pauni in Bhandara district, Deo’s work identified the remains of ancient settlements and fortifications. The site demonstrated links between central India and northern trade routes through the materials found there. Coins, pottery styles, and construction techniques pointed to a network of exchanges that extended beyond the region. His research there showed that Pauni was not an isolated town but part of a wider cultural and commercial system. This altered how central India’s involvement in early trade was understood.

Another important excavation led by Deo took place at Naikund, near Nagpur. This site contributed to the chronology of the Iron Age in the region. Radiocarbon dating techniques were applied to organic remains, strengthening the site’s placement in time. This scientific approach reduced reliance on stylistic comparisons alone. His work helped establish a clear dating framework for early Iron Age settlements in central India. This shift from approximate dating to laboratory-backed chronology marked a major transition in regional archaeology.

Deo also directed work at Paunar in Wardha district, a site known for its association with multiple historical periods.

Excavations revealed layers of occupation that showed continuity across centuries. Pottery and structural remains indicated that the settlement evolved rather than being abandoned and resettled. His documentation at Paunar shaped later studies that linked the site with broader historical developments in the region. The cumulative result of his fieldwork built a credible material record for the early history of Vidarbha.

Beyond excavation, Deo played a central role in training a generation of archaeologists. Students from his department went on to work in universities, museums, and field units across India. His academic output included site reports, journal articles, and research papers that remained widely cited for decades. His work showed how archaeological infrastructure could grow far from metropolitan academic centres. His approach made Nagpur a recognised name in Indian field archaeology.

2. Prabash Sahu

Prabash Sahu represents a later phase of archaeological research in Nagpur shaped by academic continuity and fresh field discoveries. As a faculty member and departmental head at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, he built directly on decades of earlier institutional work. His research has refocused attention on settlement archaeology rather than focusing solely on burial grounds and monuments. Through long-term excavations, he has worked to establish how daily life unfolded in ancient central India.

One of Sahu’s most significant contributions comes from excavation at Pachkhed village in Yavatmal district. The site revealed evidence of a long-span settlement starting in the Iron Age and continuing through later historical periods. Excavated layers included housing remains, pottery, and metal objects that indicated an organised settlement structure. This continuous sequence provided uncommon evidence of uninterrupted habitation for nearly three thousand years. Such findings are rare in central Indian archaeology and offer direct insight into social change across long timelines.

At Pachkhed, remains linked to the Satavahana period were also identified. Pottery styles and building materials pointed to regional participation in larger political systems. The site did not appear as a remote village but as a settlement connected to wider administrative and cultural shifts. The archaeological record showed changes in domestic construction that reflected larger transformations in governance and economy. This helped bridge gaps between prehistoric and early historic periods in the regional timeline.

Sahu has also worked extensively on identifying and recording megalithic stone circle sites across eastern Maharashtra. Many of these burial grounds were undocumented before formal surveys were conducted. His team mapped locations and recorded visible features before modern development could erase them. This documentation became crucial for heritage protection and further research. These surveys turned scattered stones into reliable archaeological evidence.

Another major area of Sahu’s work lies within forested zones near Nagpur, including exploration inside protected reserves. Surveys inside Pench Tiger Reserve led to discoveries of temple remains, sculptural fragments, and fortifications. These structures dated from approximately the second to the tenth century. The findings demonstrated that forest regions were not historical blanks but supported long-term settlements and religious activity. This added depth to how historians understood medieval central India.

His field research has also involved training students on-site, continuing the tradition of academic field learning in Nagpur. Excavation camps became classrooms where archaeological logic was taught through practice instead of lectures alone. Students learned recording methods, site surveying, and basic conservation. This approach ensured that academic instruction remained closely tied to field work.

Sahu’s published research provides updated frameworks for periodisation in eastern Maharashtra. Where earlier timelines were vague, his excavations introduced specific occupational phases backed by material analysis. His work expanded academic understanding of Vidarbha’s role in ancient settlement patterns rather than treating the region as peripheral.

3. D Nihildas

D Nihildas represents a different dimension of archaeology shaped through the Archaeological Survey of India. Stationed with the ASI’s Nagpur branch, his work reflects the role of government field units in producing primary archaeological data. His excavations often focus on sites outside major cities, particularly river valleys and rural zones.

During the 2018 to 2019 excavation season, Nihildas led work at Phupgaon near the Poorna River in western Maharashtra. The settlement revealed extensive evidence of Iron Age habitation. Structures indicated organised living patterns rather than temporary habitation. Hearths and storage pits suggested stable domestic life rather than seasonal movement. Animal bones provided insight into dietary practices.

The most distinctive discovery at Phupgaon was a bead manufacturing unit. Excavations uncovered unfinished beads, finished ornaments, and raw material fragments. Semi-precious stones and glass pieces confirmed a local craft production system. The site revealed that Iron Age communities were not limited to agriculture alone but engaged in specialised production. The scale of bead making suggested structured economic activity.

This excavation produced evidence that extended the geographical spread of Iron Age culture deeper into the Poorna valley. Earlier studies had concentrated heavily on eastern districts. Phupgaon shifted attention westward. This broadened regional understanding of ancient settlement distribution. The discovery filled a gap between better known archaeological zones.

Nihildas also documented animal remains and pottery styles that added detail to subsistence patterns. The presence of specific domesticated species suggested mixed farming systems. Pottery analysis provided chronological markers that supported long-term use of the site. Radiocarbon studies further assisted in fixing the settlement’s age at around 2500 years.

His work demonstrates how official archaeology contributes materially rather than administratively. Each excavation season produced detailed reports that became reference material for future researchers. The findings at Phupgaon have already been cited in regional studies concerned with Iron Age expansion.

Through projects like these, the ASI Nagpur circle maintained a steady presence in field archaeology. Nihildas helped ensure rural sites were not overlooked. His work linked academic archaeology with government documentation, strengthening archival collections and public knowledge alike. These contributions make Vidarbha’s archaeological record closely tied to central Indian field research.

The work of these three archaeologists shows how regional scholarship can reshape national historical frameworks. They operated in classrooms, forest surveys, excavation pits, and government departments. Their findings reshaped ideas from burial customs to settlement continuity. They also ensured that central India did not remain underrepresented in archaeological literature. Their work linked material remains with scientific dating and systematic recording. It highlighted how long-term research can change historical habits of thinking without speaking in grand theoretical claims.

Their discoveries continue to form the foundation for new studies. In Nagpur, archaeology stands today not as an abstract discipline but as a lived academic tradition grounded in the soil of central India.