Rituals, Objects, and Monastic Life: The Living Archaeology of Tawang Monastery

Arunachal Pradesh remains archaeologically underexplored due to rugged terrain, heavy rainfall, and limited accessibility, yet surveys since the 1970s have revealed prehistoric tools, Neolithic sites, and Buddhist monastic structures. This study examines Tawang Monastery as a living institution of the Monpa community, using an object-centred ethnographic approach grounded in archaeological ethnography and material agency theory. Through non intrusive observation, documentation, photography, and interviews, ritual and utilitarian objects in monasteries, households, and museums were analysed as active mediators of social relations and cultural continuity. Comparative observations from Urgelling and Sangelling monasteries contextualize the regional monastic network, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary preservation and future research.