Kerala State Department of Archaeology


Kerala State Department of Archaeology is the archaeology department of the Government of Kerala. It had its origins in the Travancore State Archaeology Department which was started in December 1891. It forms a part of the Ministry of Culture.

History

In December 1891, the then Maharajah of Travancore, Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma sanctioned a monthly grant of Rs. 50 to P. Sundaram Pillai, Professor at H. H. Maharajah's College to start a department of archaeology. But it was only in 1895-96, that the department was organised. The epigraphist T. A. Gopinatha Rao was appointed first Superintendent in 1908. In 1910, the first volume of the Travancore Archaeological Series was brought out.