Gopesh Jha
Doctoral ResearcherIMPRS
Main Focus
I am doctoral researcher working in Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (MPI-SHH), under the supervision of Dr. Patrick Roberts. In general, my current research explores human-environment relationship during Late Pleistocene in South Asia. Main aim is to understand the role of environmental stressors in behavioral changes that occurred in India during Late Pleistocene, such as – initiation of microlithization and emergence of blade-dominant techno complex. I will be employing multi-proxy environmental approach (Leaf-wax biomarkers, compound-specific Isotope: δ¹³C and δD, bulk δ¹³C and δ¹8O) and combining that data with technological data in order to explore the relationship between challenging environmental conditions and technological shift.
Curriculum Vitae
I have received B.A. (hons.) and M.A. (hons.) degree in Archaeology and Ancient History from The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara (India), with a specialization in Prehistory and Bio-anthropology. As a part of my M.A. curriculum, I worked on multiple projects focused on diverse archaeological subjects like Harappan Ernestite drills, Harappan weights, and stone-tool assemblages. My work on vein-quartz based middle palaeolithic assemblage from Jogpura triggered my interest in Human origin research. I deepened my interest in palaeolithic archaeology and geoarchaeology during M.A. dissertation where I worked on the lithostratigraphic context of flake-based industries (mode III/PCTs) in Saurashtran peninsula, India.
I have also pursued a joint master’s degree in Archaeological Material Sciences (ARCHMAT) as a fully funded Erasmus Mundus partner country fellow. ARCHMAT familiarized me to the specialized skills in archaeology and analytical characterization of materials using diverse range of Archaeometric techniques (such as ATR-FT-IR, GC-MS, Py-GC-MS, EA-IRMS, benchtop XRF, XRD and SEM-EDS,). My M.Sc. dissertation was based on multi-proxy paleoenvironmental reconstruction, aimed to understand the environmental impact of ~74 Toba eruption on South Asia at local scale.
Publications
Anil, D., Ajithprasad, P., Mahesh, V., & Jha, G. (2019). Middle Palaeolithic Sites Associated with Youngest Toba Tuff Deposits from the Middle Gundlakamma Valley, Andhra Pradesh, India. Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7: 01‐14, Kerala.