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Summary
No. of sessions: 55
Dates: 5th January, 2025 to 1st February, 2026 (every Sunday).
Timings: 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. I.S.T.
Fees: ₹ 18,500/-
Principal Teachers: Dr. Kurush F Dalal, Col. Ashwin Baindur (Retd), Mr. Raamesh Gowri Raghavan, and other subject experts
Medium: English

Topics to be covered:
◾Module 1: Introduction
~ Definitions: What are fortifications, why are they needed?
~ Types of Fortifications
◾Module 2: Defensive Structures Before Gunpowder
~ Prehistoric fortified settlements and enclosures
~ Ancient fortresses in Mesopotamia & Egypt
~ Harappan & BMAC Fortifications
~ Early fortifications in China, Korea, and Japan
~ The Great Wall of China
~ Greek and Roman fortifications: walls, towers, and siege warfare Part I
~ Greek and Roman fortifications: walls, towers, and siege warfare Part II
~ Indigenous fortifications in Australia, the Americas and Africa: Bomas, Kraals, Zaribas etc
~ Great Zimbabwe, the Great Wall of Benin, and other African Forts
~ European mediaeval castles and walled cities
~ West Asian Fortifications
~ Crusader castles in the Levant
~ Indian forts: Early structures to Vijayanagara Part I
~ Indian forts: Early structures to Vijayanagara Part II, including Hero Stones
~ Hero Stones and other Inscriptions related to war
◾Module 3: War Before Gunpowder
~ Contact weapons: Swords, spears, maces, clubs, and axes from prehistory to mediaeval times
~ Evolution of ballistic weapons Part I
~ Evolution of ballistic weapons Part II
~ Battle formations in the Bronze Age & Early Iron Age
~ Battle formations in the Later Iron Age
~ Mechanical War: Siege warfare, siege train, etc - Part I
~ The Supply Chain, Quarter-mastering
~ Cavalry and other animals in war
~ Chariotry
◾Module 4: Defensive Structures After Gunpowder
~ Evolution of East Asian fortifications under Gunpowder
~ The Trace Italienne: Origins and development in Italy and France
~ The Trace Italienne: Early Military Innovators (Michelangelo & others)
~ The Trace Italienne: Apex under Vauban and Coehoorn
~ The Trace Italienne: The clash of civilizations in Asia
~ The Deccani response to Gunpowder
~ The Fort and the Guerilla
~ Maratha and Mughal Forts - Design and Construction of Land Forts
~ Maratha and Mughal Forts - Design and Construction of Sea Forts
~ Colonial fortifications in Africa: The rise of slave forts
~ Capital and Ornamental Forts; Reuse of Forts
~ Air Power, the Death, and Rebirth of the Fort
~ Logistics & QM supply of defending a fort
~ Logistics & QM supply of attacking a fort
◾Module 5: War After Gunpowder
~ The earliest East Asian cannons: China, Korea, Japan & Central Asia
~ The impact of gunpowder on European warfare (Joan of Arc, Jean & Gaspard Bureau)
~ The impact of gunpowder on Asian warfare (Ottomans, Safavids, Mughals)
~ Tipu - pyroballistic weapons in early modern warfare
~ The evolution of the musket and the rifle
~ The evolution of gunnery as a science
~ The evolution and importance of sappers
~ Machine guns, tanks, and trench warfare - Fortifications of World War I
~ Fortifications of WWII – From Maginot lines to Okinawa
~ Modern military fortifications – From Korean War to the Gulf war
~ The Role of Fortifications in Post-modern Military Warfare
◾Module 6: Methods and Methodology
~ Excavating forts and fortifications: Techniques and tools
~ Studying battlefields: Forensic archaeology in military contexts
~ Conserving Forts and Battlefields
~ Case studies: Significant military archaeology sites

Other Details of the Course:
~ The course fee is non-refundable unless there is any cancellation on the part of the organizers.
~ There will be an exam/dissertation at the end of the course.
~ Participants who do not attempt the exam/dissertation will be given an attendance certificate. All others will get a graded Diploma Completion Certificate.

FAQs:
Q. What should one expect from this course ?
To study basics of military archaeology from experts in their respective fields.

Q. Is this diploma conducted in affiliation with some body or organisation? Will it be recognised elsewhere?
This is a diploma given by our institution, its recognition depends upon where, whom and what one does with it.
We are not affiliated to any restrictive body.

Q. What are the job prospects after gaining a Diploma in Military Archaeology?
This is a value addition, it arms you with all the basic tools you need to comprehend military heritage (forts, battlefields, weapons) from an archaeological perspective.

Q. Will there be regular assignments? Or any paper which we will be asked to write?
There is a mandatory short dissertation at the end of the course which you have to clear to be awarded the Diploma.

Q. Is it just a Diploma or a post graduate diploma?
This is not a PG Diploma as that would restrict the people who could do it.

Q. What are the course materials provided?
Live Lecture, lecture recordings, PDFs, Links, and Recommended reading are provided.

Important Notes
1. When you register, you will get an e-mail with a WhatsApp link. Please click on it, or copy and paste it in your browser to join the course WhatsApp group.
2. The Zoom link for the lectures will be shared in the group on both between 6:45 pm and 6:50 pm. If you are attending through laptop or desktop, you do not need the Zoom app as you can attend through the web browser.
3. Please note that the lecture will start sharp at 7:30 p.m. After 7:35 p.m. no one will be allowed to enter in the lecture. So be present in the lecture room at least 5 minutes earlier.
4. We follow all the precautionary measures prescribed by the Ministry of Home affairs for the security of the class. Therefore, when you click on the Zoom link, you will first come into the waiting room. Our moderators will admit you to the classroom after checking your name.
5. Please enter your name in the Zoom class exactly as you have entered it on the registration form. This will ensure you are admitted without a problem.
6. Upon entering the virtual classroom, please switch off your video and microphone. This saves distraction in the classroom and also saves your valuable bandwidth.
7. Please type all your questions in the chat box only, and the speaker will answer them.
8. If you miss the lectures due to technical glitches, recordings will be provided for 48 hours.
9. No content, textual or photographic, may be copied by the audience, or screenshots taken of them. They are the exclusive copyright of the speaker.
10. A detailed bibliography will be made available.

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