Lumbini, June 8 -- Dressed in a spotless white apron, trainee Chandra Prakash Pathak kept his gaze firmly fixed on the ancient artefact resting on the table before him. In the field of archaeological conservation, people have to be extremely careful when handling ancient objects, and even a simple mistake or moment of distraction can permanently alter or destroy the authentic form. Pathak stood motionless, fully absorbed in his work.

"To conserve an archaeological object effectively, the absolute first step is identifying its underlying decay," said Shanti Sharma, a senior archaeology officer and the chief of the Tilaurakot Museum in Kapilvastu. Peering through a specialised laboratory lens, she carefully adjusted her instrument. "Right ...