Methods of Studying Material Cultures — DU B.A (Prog.) History as Major Previous Year Question Papers

1. How do primary sources shape our understanding of the past, and what challenges do historians face in interpreting them? 2. Critically examine the problem of bias in primary sources. How can historians identify and account for such biases in their analysis? 3. Compare the different approaches of interpreting archaeological evidence. 4. Discuss the role of scientific techniques (such as dating methods or material analysis) in forming archaeological interpretations. 5. Examine the scope and limitations of epigraphic material for the reconstruction of past cultures. 6. How can inscriptions be used to understand the relationship between political authority and the socio-cultural history of a particular period? Explain with specific examples from ancient and medieval Indian inscriptions. 7. How do coins fünction as historical sources, and what kind of insights do they provide about economic and political systems of pre 18th century India? 8. Write short notes on any two of the following: (a) Post-Processual Archaeology (b) Punch Marked Coins (c) Cognitive Archaeology (d) Mauryan Inscriptions