What is Buddhist Archaeology in India without the Colonial Baggage?

Archaeology of Indian Buddhism is inseparable from its colonial inheritance, the frameworks through which India's past was first organised archaeologically. Its methods, biases, and restrictive categories, particularly in interpreting Buddhism's later history, continue to shape—and constrain—the questions we ask of the archaeological record. This talk critically examines the colonial legacies of Buddhist archaeology in India and asks what becomes possible when these inheritances are made visible. Focusing on my work in southern Bihar, I trace how archaeological knowledge has been constructed around sites such as Nalanda and consider what a different approach to material remains might reveal about Buddhism's long and complex history in India.