Research Projects

• Chumaduthangi (load relieving (supporting) stone)

  Indicators of trade routes and markets, the load supporting stones on wayside in Kerala will be documented with a view to understand ancient markets and movements of people and goods.

  The chumaduthangi is a monument found in both urban and semi urban parts of Kerala particularly along trade routes and around market places. They date from seventeenth to twentieth centuries and in some regions are referred to in local language as athanikallu.rt description of the project. The project will classify the monuments bases on ownership and steps to conserve by involvement of the local bodies. The exact number of such monuments is not known. But from the available information very few are interact and most are affected by road widening and defaced. The entire project from paling phase to execution phase will take approximately five weeks.

• Interim report of the archaeological study of Konat Malpanate, Pampakuda, Ernakulam District, KeralaTitle

  a conservation project proposal for an 18th century building associated with training of the Orthodox Christian priests

  The Konat Malpanate is an old building and has retained period architecture of late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It is a rare specimen of residential cum training center for the formation of Syrian Christian priests in central Kerala. It is in a rural area in the hinterland. Its wooden architecture, arched doorways and pillars are among the few that have survived in Kerala and need to be documented and studied in detail. The building needs to be conserved and protected for posterity and demands immediate attention in the form of restoration.

• Paul Mathew Kulangara Gallery

  Nearly 2000 objects were acquired from Kulangara Tharavad from an alumnus and well wisher in 2019. It was documented and displayed at an exhibition.

  Paul Mathew Kulangara Gallery, Exhibition and Seminar on 19 July 2019

  A priceless collection of 19^th and 20^th century artifacts were gifted to Union Christian College by Mr. Paul K. Mathew of the PDC batch, 87-89.   He belongs to the Kulangara family in North Paravur. There are records that prove the contacts of this landed family maintained with the princely states of Travancore, Cochin. They were closely associated with the Taluk court at Paravur and Mar Thoman Jacobite Church since late eighteenth century AD.

  The origin of Kulangara family is not very clear. After moving to Parur, the family acquired vast landed property and branched out into Mundakapadam, Chettipeedika, Puthenveede and Puthenkandam branches all residing within North Paravur. Thekke Puthenveede under the Puthenveede branch was built in two phases first in the 1890s and second in 1906 AD by Kulangara Paily Ittyachan (1837- 1910) and Ittyachan’s son Mathew (1865-1953). Mathew’s son Abraham Paul (1868-1970), his son K.P. Mathew nicknamed Mithran Vakil (1931-2005) and their families have resided in this house nearly 130 years. The donor Mr. Paul K Mathew represents the fifth generation and he handed over to UC College treasures that belonged to five generations.

  The collection includes examples of 19^th century metal craft and carpentry by master craftsmen. The documents in the collection refer to agricultural activities and Christianity. There are documents on Ayurveda, jyotisha and literature in both Malayalam and Sanskrit. There is a collection of 30 survey maps of Travancore State. The coins and stamps are prized collectors’ items. The tableware imported from Europe are also collectors’ items. There are curious objects like methiyadi and a tooth that belonged to Vipinachandran, an elephant maintained by the family.

  The first exhibition of the collection will be held on 19^th July 2019 at VM Hall, U.C.College. The Seminar on Archaeology will be held at T B Ninan Hall, U.C.College. Dr. S Hemachandran, former Director of the Kerala State Department of Archaeology will be the chief guest.

• Ancient Iron Metallurgy

  Fine wares were fired at higher temperatures during the Late Iron Age and the subsequent periods in India. During this period the working and use of iron increases. Preliminary metallurgical analysis of archaeological iron samples were attempted independently n three labs and results could be compared .

  The project is in collaboration with experts in material science at Amal Jyothi Engineering College. In future this can develop into a scientific analysis of the archaeological samples in the UC College Archaeological Museum with a view to develop local laboratory facilities in Kerala for archaeological samples to understand the traditional knowledge systems.