archaeology researcher

Location:

Thimphu, Bhutan

Salary:

company should decide as per my input

Posted:

January 07, 2025

Contact this candidate

Resume:

Name: Sonam Gyeltshen

Qualification: BA (Hons) in Ancient Indian History, Culture & Archaeology.

Organization: Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division, Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development.

Office : Division for Cultural Properties, Department of Culture (2000 to 2010) – Joined after completing ICSE in 1999.

Responsibilities:

•Providing Cultural Permits to foreign visitors for access to Dzongs, Lhakhangs, and other heritage sites.

•Providing Photography and Filming permits to capture the essence of cultural structures and sites.

•Facilitating Transit permits and securely sealing non-antique cultural items for export or transit purposes.

•Collaborated with the Conservation Section to preserve and restore ancient cultural treasures, such

as restoring aged thangkas, wall paintings, and wooden manuscripts.

Trainings and Workshops:

•Underwent Driglam Namzha Training conducted by Dasho Zimpon Dorji Gyeltshen and served as Drangzhab for six years (from 2002 until 6 November 2008 ( Coronation of 5th King) under Gyalpoi Zimpon Dasho Dorji Gyeltshen,

•Participated in a Presentation Skills and Meeting Discussion Workshop held for Thai Government Officials at SEAMEO Regional Language Centre, Singapore, in 2008.

•Completed an Oral Communication Course at Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok, Thailand, spanning from March 31st to May 16th, 2008.

•Engaged in Conservation Trainings within Bhutan facilitated by Honolulu Academy of Performing Arts and Getty Foundation, focusing on Thangka conservation conducted at Folk Heritage Museum, Kawajangsa.

•Completed Dzongkha Development training from March 18th to March 24th, 2009.

•Enhanced Dzongkha language writing and reading skills through training sessions held from February 15th to February 27th, 2010.

•Participated in an Educational Workshop on Archaeology in Bhutan from March 27th to April 1st, 2011, organized by the Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division in collaboration with Helvetas Bhutan and Swiss-Liechtenstein Foundation for Archaeological Research Abroad (SLSA).

Field Works Undertaken

Field training in Archaeological Excavation Techniques by Swiss experts in Bumthang, Drapham dzong archaeological site in 2010.

Carried out wall painting Conservation works of Wangduetse Lhakhang for 2 months and Hejo Mani Dungkhor Lhakhang wall consolidation works.

Took study leave to pursue BA (Hons) in AIHC & Archaeology from Banaras Hindu University – 2011-2014.

Office: Heritage Sites and Archaeology Division

Responsibilities:

Identification, survey and documentation of potential archaeological sites in the country.

Coordination, planning and Managing of Bhutan _ Swiss Archaeology Projects.

Correspondence of Dzongkhag related approvals for new constructions, re-constructions, renovation works and timber approvals for religious structures in the country.

Coordination and planning the consolidation works of Drukgyal Dzong;s 5 watch towers, it’s fortified passage walls and three water reservoir tanks.

Coordination in Documentation and Inventory of Heritage Sites, funded by AFCP and Bhutan Foundation in Bumthang, Mongar and Tashigang Dzongkhags in 2021 and 2022.

Procurement and management of Government properties in the Division.

Coordination and Management of Bhutan -Swiss archaeology project, excavation of Bangtsho phodrang from 6th October to 31st October, 2023.

Initiated in collecting and compiling the information and list of all archaeological sites in the entire 20 dzongkhag.

Coordination and Management of Bhutan -Swiss archaeology project, excavation and survey of Obi Baygar Maggar fortification and three watch towers under Medtsho Gewog and in carrying our survey and mapping of archaeological and ancient historical heritage sites in the entire Lhuntse Dzongkhag from 14th October to 5st November, 2024.

Trainings and workshops attended:

Field training on Survey and documentation at Chubjakha archaeological site, Paro from 1st October, 2014 to 26th October, 2014.

Assisted in organizing Cultural Landscape workshops which involved both national and international participants in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Attended Training in Financial & Inventory Management in Mumbai, conducted by Institute for Management studies, Bhutan in collaboration with Jaipuria institute of Management from 15-19 December, 2014.

Attended Workshop on Project Management and Monitoring from 22nd April, 2015 to 26th April, 2015 in Bangkok, conducted by Bangkok School of Management.

Attended Training Course on Cultural Heritage Protection in the Asia-Pacific Region 2016 on the theme, “Research, Analysis, Preservation and Utilization of Archaeological Sites and Remains”, conducted by ACCU Nara,Japan from 30 August, 2016 to 29 September, 2016.

Cultural Landscape Mission to Vietnam from 19th January to 27 January, 2018.

Conservation workshop at Royal Textile Academy from January 7 to 18 January 2019 imparted by Julia Brenan.

Attended field training in Switzerland in the framework of phase III of the Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project for six weeks, from April 29 to June 09, 2019.

Attended field training in Switzerland in the framework of phase IV of the Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project from March 31 to May 01, 2024.

Field Works under-taken:

Excavation of Drapham Dzong Archaeological Site, Chokortey, Bumthang, 2010.

Survey and Documentation of Chubjakha Dzong ruin – October 2014.

Study and analysis of stone masonry wall features and stone by stone wall intersection drawing of Wangduephodrang dzong’s existing stone masonry wall after fire tragedy in April, 2015.

Survey and Documentation of Doe-Choeten Goenpa Archaeological Site – May 2015.

Drukgyal Dzong survey and Documentation from 15th Feb 2016 till May 2016.

Preparation of Cultural Landscape Management plan of Buli Village, Zhemgang, 2017

Survey and documentation of Do-choeten Goenpa Archaeology Site from 30 April - May 2017.

Survey and Documentation of 9th Jekhenpo Shakya Rinchen’s summer residence at Khodang, Khotakha, Wangduephodrang from 18th September - 20th September, 2017.

Survey and Documentation of archaeological ruin site where Lama Drukpa Kuenley subdued a demon with 9 goiters at Shar Kinzangling, Wangduephodrang from 21st September, 2017 to 23rd September, 2017.

Preliminary survey and documentation of Phobjikha archaeological sites from 6th November 2017 to 2nd December, 2017.

Documented Tsirangtoed dzong ruin in Tsirang in 2017.

Continuation of preliminary survey and documentation of Phobjikha archaeological sites from 1st March, 2018 to 9th March, 2018.

Site Clearing, Survey and documentation of Soray Dzong at Kabesa, Thimphu from 3rd June, 2018.

Excavation of Archaeological Mound (No.31) at Phobjikha from 8th October to 4th November, 2018.

Stone by stone wall intersection drawing of Chukhor mani and drainage system of Soray dzong at Kabisa in 2021.

Survey, documentation and rescue excavation of Bangtsho Phodrang under Lhuntse Dzongkhag from 6th December, 2022 to 29th December, 2022 in collaboration with SLSA, Switzerland.

Documented Wachey dzong ruins and Lam Kapa lhakhang ruins under Wangdue dzongkhag in August, 2023.

Documented Neyningpa dzong ruin under Paro Dzongkhag in September, 2023.

Coordinated as a team leader for Bhutan -Swiss archaeology project phase IV, excavation of Bangtsho phodrang from 6th October to 31st October, 2023.

Documented Gorphu Sangmi Buthri and Geney Gewa Boto’s ruins, documented Je Choki Jamtsho’s ruins, documented Kapa goenpa ruins (all the sites located in Genekha, Thimphu), in June,2024.

Coordinated as a team leader for Bhutan -Swiss archaeology project phase IV in documenting Obi Baygarp Magar, Medtsho Gewog and surveying and mapping archaeological and heritage sites under Lhuntse Dzongkhag from October 14 to November 5, 2024.

Heritage Site Conservation and Documentation Projects:

1.Restoration and Adaptive Reuse of Wangduechholing Palace Project from 2018 to 2021.

Responsibilities

Coordinated the Restoration and Adaptive Reuse of Wangduecholing Palace Project in Bumthang and served as the focal point for the institutionalization of the Wangduecholing Palace Museum until a new Museum Curator and Educational Outreach Officer were recruited.

Organized meetings among stakeholders, arranged logistics, visas, and route permits for visiting experts and donors, coordinated the submission of quarterly project reports to Bhutan Foundation and GNHC, and sought funds from BF, GNHC, and MoF.

Managed the floating, opening, and evaluating of project tenders, processing of project bills, muster roll payments, maintenance of the pool vehicle, and correspondence with stakeholders.

For museum planning, prepared lists of museum collections from Paro Museum and Trongsa Ta Dzong to avoid duplication for the Bumthang Museum, drafted Terms of Reference (ToR) and facilitated the recruitment of the Curator and Educational Outreach Officer, compiled a list of historical reference books in consultation with the National Library and Archives, maintained records of museum visitors at Paro and Trongsa over four consecutive years, and corresponded with EKA Consultancy in Delhi to provide necessary documents and information for museum planning during the pandemic.

2.Inventory and Documentation of Heritage Sites in Bumthang, Mongar and Tashigang funded by Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, U.S Embassy, New Delhi and Bhutan Foundation from 18 September, 2020 to August 2022.

Responsibilities

Coordinated desk research works on the selected heritage sites, communicated and gathered informations on the selected sites from the Dzongkhags and the gewogs, seeking fund releases from Bhutan Foundation through GNHC and then Ministry of Finance, Planning and preparing allowance for the team, arrangement of logistics for the team and hiring of vehicles, procurement of equipment and stationaries, Management and coordination of the team on site while documenting the heritage sites, preparation of quarterly reports and submission to GNHC and Bhutan Foundation.

Coordination in the institutionalization of cultural heritage database system and feeding the information of the documented heritage sites into the database system. Coordination in launching of the database system and inventory report publication.

3.Drukgyal Dzong Re-construction Project

Responsibilities

Survey and documentation of the old existing Drukgyal dzong with the archaeology team.

Prepare and plan the proposal for consolidation of fortified passage walls, five watch towers and three water reservoir tanks as per conservation and archaeological perspective.

On-site monitoring and reviewing of the works with the project team as and when necessary.

Documentation of the unique features, recording photographs of the structures and features and writing reports.

Coordinated the consolidation of fortified passage walls, 5 watch towers and 3 water reservoir tanks.

Prepared content and design concept of two signages for the fortified passage tunnels, 5 watch towers and 3 water reservoir tanks.

Part of Publications

Heritage Sites Journal 3, Archaeology in Bhutan, 2014

Country reports publication, ACCU, Japan, 2016

Monograph of Drapham dzong – archaeological excavation of a Himalayan fortress in central Bhutan, 2017

SLSA Annual Report publication on Do Choeten Goenpa, 2017

SLSA Annual Report Publication on the Excavation of Archaeological Mound (No.31) at Phobjikha from 8th October to 4th November, 2018.