Ahead of their time
Herald Review January 14, 2015
Distinguished archaeologist and specialist in Harappan
civilization, Prof Vasant Shinde highlighted the contribution of Harappan
civilization to the development of science and technology in India and the
world during a recent presentation at the NIO.
LISA ANN MONTEIRO
Archaeologist and Vice Chancellor of Deccan College Post Graduate
and Research Institute, Pune visited the State recently and took listeners 5000
years back in time to appreciate the ancient Harappan civilization, focusing on
their contribution to present day science and technology.
Spread over two million sq kms, the area covered by the Harappan
civilization is larger than that covered by the Mesopotamian civilization. The
Harappan civilization was officially identified on September 20, 1924. Sites
have been found as far as Russia in the north. Prior to Independence only 100
Harappan sites were known of which only two were in India. Today 2000 Harappan
sites have been discovered of which 1500 are located in India in the northwest
part. The largest of these is Rakhigarhi in Haryana, followed by Mohenjo Daro
in Punjab province in Pakistan, Harappa in Sindh province in Pakistan and
Dholavira in Gujarat.
Sadly when given a choice, Shinde says, people prefer to visit
ancient Egypt because there’s lots of monumental architecture to see including
temples, buildings, pyramids and figureheads.
“There’s nothing like that at the Harappan sites. Although the
Harappans were technologically equally advanced compared to the Mesopotamians
and Egyptians, they didn’t build monuments.
Their philosophy was different and they were more practical in
their approach.
They knew these were of no use to common people and although they
had a lot of wealth and used metal, they preferred to use it for the protection
and betterment of their people. They created well planned and fortified cities
with excellent drainage systems,” Shinde who has 34 years of experience in
archaeology and has conducted over 40 excavations around the world, said.
What’s interesting too is that the Harappans created and managed
their large empire for a long period of time without using violence. No
evidence of warfare has been found at these sites.
They were pioneers of their time in the way they planned their
cities and in the building methods they used. Each household had a well and a
latrine. Each latrine was connected to a drainage which was connected to the
main drainage of the city which was emptied outside the city wall. This proved
that their cities were clean and hygienic. Many concepts like that of the
commode and swimming pool thought to be western were also found in this
civilization.
The Great Bath area found at Mohenjo Daro, Shinde says is an exact
replica of the modern day swimming pool. It had steps only used for maintenance
and changing rooms on either side. A well built nearby was used to periodically
circulate the water in the bath area.
The Harappan’s knowledge of mathematics could be seen in the
perfectly perpendicular structures they built. Each brick was created in proper
ratio. While constructing they also used what’s now known as the English bond
method where bricks are laid in alternate headers and stretchers.
In the city of Dholavira which was one of the most fortified
cities, it is believed the locals followed the panchayat system where everyone
would pitch in to help build. “ No evidence of the use of slavery was found to
build the large walls and the entire city,” Shinde says.
The perfect planning of their cities meant that they had an
excellent water harvesting system in place too. The area was largely desert and
occasional rainfall suddenly gave way to flash floods. They built dams and
underwater tanks, arresting water and diverting it to the huge tanks connected
to the city through underground channels. To build these tanks, they dug into
solid rock most probably by putting wooden pegs at the groves of the stones to
crack them before pulling them out. This was a highly advanced technique which
is still being followed today. Excavations revealed that they not only traded
in small precious goods but in building materials too. The credit for the
earliest dockyard cum port anywhere in the world also goes to the Harappan
civilization. Located at the port town of Lothal in Gujarat, it would cater to
ocean going ships.
Through the furrow marks in the land, archaeologists find that the
Harappans followed the rotation system in agriculture, double cropping in
winter and summer. The agricultural implements including the plough used were
not very different from those used today.
The pear shaped pottery kilns, the technique of pottery and the
basic shape of the pots continue to be used today.Pots were made on fast wheels and perfectly fired with no
impurities. Decorations were made before firing them so the designs remained
permanent. The technique used to perforate precious stones continues to be used
today. At the Gola Dhoro site in Bagasara, Gujarat, the Harappans would import
raw materials and produce and export the finished products back to the same
people. At Harappa and Dholavira too manufacturing centres were found.
The continuity in the philosophy of rebirth can also be seen
Shinde said. “The Harappans never buried their dead with gold. They buried them
with pots with food and water, ornaments and tools because they believed they
needed this for their next life.” The decline of the Harappan civilization was
gradual. “By 4000 BC the climate turned dry the world over and all major
civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotamia declined at the same time. By 2000 BC
the Saraswati River had dried up and all 30 Harappan Ports for sea trade fell
into disuse,” Shinde said.
His visit also culminated in an MOU being signed between the NIO
and Deccan College, Pune for collaboration on matters relating to marine
archaeology.
Tourism prospects
Only two Harappan sites Lothal and Dholavira in Gujarat are open
for tourists. Deccan College in collaboration with the Haryana State Department
of Archaeology is planning to excavate part of the site at Rakhigarhi in
Haryana and preserve it for the public. “A museum is also planned at the site,
land for which has already been acquired by the State government. There are
also plans to convert some of the old Havelis in the village into guest- houses
for tourists. This will promote tourism industry at the site and economic
development of the village as well as the region,” Shinde says.
New Excavations
Early this year while on a visit to Rakhigarhi in Haryana a team
of archaeology teachers and students from Deccan College discovered new mounds
two hectares each in size. “One of them appears to be an industrial part as
ample burning patches on the surface were found. These are parts of the
settlement at Rakhigarhi which were not reported earlier,” Shinde says. This
discovery helped offi- cially prove that the site at Rakhigarhi is the largest
Harappan civilization site. Mohenjo Daro in Pakistan was considered the biggest
among the 2000 Harappan sites prior to this finding. Excavation months are from
December to March and major work is being planned at Rakhigarhi this season by
this University. The team has already left for the preparation. The other
excavations proposed are at the Stone Age site of Tikoda in MP, historical
place at Junnar in Maharashtra and small scientific work for sample collection
at Mad Pimpali in Maharashtra and Dwarka in Gujarat.
Protection needed
Of the 1500 Harappan sites in India Shinde says only a few
important ones are being protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Almost all the other sites are not fenced, open to everyone and are being
destroyed due to expansion of agricultural activities or developmental works. “The
ASI and state departments of Archaeology need to bring all those surviving
sites under protection. There is need to educate common people about the
importance of cultural heritage of the country and get their involvement in
their protection,” Shinde says. It is not only India but most countries in South
Asia, save Sri Lanka that are as bad as India in protecting heritage sites. No
proper policy exists on this aspect.
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Review Bureau
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