Dr. Arunima Kashyap
Departmental Affiliate
PhD, Michigan State University, 2006
Dr. Kashyap, has been working at the Harappan site of Farmana (2600-2200 BC), located in the Ghaggar Valley, Haryana, India. She has extracted starch granules from 50 different surfaces including surfaces of pottery vessels, stone tools and dental calculus of human burials from Farmana. The research has provides the first direct evidence for plants which were being used, processed and consumed during the Harappan occupation at the site. She has also recently extracted evidence of first use of turmeric and ginger commonly used in Indian curry dishes. Here research has been highlighted in the following. Arunima has also taught Introduction to Archaeology (Anth 102) during summer quarter 2012.
Read "The Mystery of Curry" in Slate Magazine
Read "The Ingredients for a 4000-Year-Old Proto-Curry" in Science