New England Antiquities Research Association

 

SALU Moot Sheds New Light on Harappa Civilization

Reprinted from the News International, Pakistan

 

 

 

December 31, 2003

 

The find of copper coins from the Harrapa ruins negated the perception that Europe introduced metallic currency in the world, said Dr JM Kenoyer of the University of Wisconsin, said on Tuesday.

Presenting his research paper on ‘Regional Cultures and Chronologies of the Indus Civilisation in New Perspectives from Harappa’ at the International Conference on Archaeology of Pakistan at the Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU), he said the civilisation of Harappa was not 5,000 but 6,000 years old. "The remnants of the silk cloth industry also found from Harappa. The rulers of Harappa were rich and when they died they were buried with gold ornaments, while the people were generally very poor," he said.

According to him the Harappa civilisation was ruined after the downfall of its rulers. "No evidence is found regarding the exchange of culture," he added. However, the joint director-general of the Archaeological Survey of India in his paper ‘Dhola Vira Harappa City’ said it has been found that there was grooming of urbanisation but the civilisation declined due to earthquake.

He said there used to be planning to meet water storage as remains of rich water reservoirs have also been found at Dhola Vira. He claimed that the Dhola Vira civilisation was 1,500 years old. People of that area enjoyed pleasant atmosphere and that civilisation also declined with the decline of the society. He said Dhola Vira has the same age and history like those of Moen-Jo-Daro.

Professor Emeritus of Quaid-i-Azam University Ahmed Husain Dani said in his chair address that exploration and invention was an easy job, but preservation and conservation was actually very difficult. He urged the government and non-governmental organisations to strive for saving the archaeological sites. M Badshah, also presented their research papers. Chairman of the Archaeology Department of SAL University welcomed the participants and briefly introduced the activities of her department. The conference will also continue on Wednesday (today).

 

 

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