Indian Antiquary Vol 57

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 246

220
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
NOVEMBER, 1928
and of Elam, and carries us back all at once to a bed of the Råvi (or was it in ancient times a still period as far anterior to the times of Cyrus the Great more important river) have been found remains as his age lies from us. The site at Mohenjo-daro, of very similar character, generally speaking. At. covering an area of about a square mile of rolling tention was first drawn to this site by Manson in mounds, seems to have lain originally on the western 1826, and five years later by Burney. Cunningham bank of the Indus, which has since shifted its channel examined the site in 1853, 1856 and 1872-3, and it further to the east. "Wherever trenches have been was in his report for the latter year that the famous sunk in these mounds," writes Sir J. Marshall, "the * Harappa seal,' the first of the Indo-Sumerian remains have been disclosed immediately below the seals to be found, was described and illustrated. surface of a finely built city of the Chalcolithic We are told that several previously unknown sites period (3rd millennium B.C.) and beneath this city in this vicinity have been revealed by an experiof layer after layer of earlier structures erected suc- mental aeroplane survey along some fifty miles of cessively on the ruins of their predecessors." The the old bed of the Râvi. buildings exposed in the uppermost stratum com.
Important as are the finds recorded in these prise temples and dwelling houses constructed of
pages, much more has been discovered during the kiln-burnt and sun-dried bricks. The houses are
three years that have since elapsed, as we gather bare of ornament, but "remarkable for the excel
from an account communicated to the Times new g. lence of their construction and for the relatively
paper, erpecially at Harappa, where antiquities have high degree of comfort evidenced by the presence of
been found of a type even earlier than those obtained wells, bath-rooms, brick flooring and an elaborate
so far at Mohenjo-daro. It would be difficult to system of drainage, all of which go to indicate a
exaggerate the value from the point of view of the social condition of the people surprisingly advanced
history of carly civilization of the discoveries for the age in which they were living," that is to say
already made at these two sites and of those likely in the transition stage between the stone and copper
to follow when adequate staff and funds are availages. They were using stone knives or scrapers of
able to conduct operations on a scale commensurate the crudest types, yet were farniliar with the working of copper, gold, silver and lead and probably of
with their importance. Scholars are becoming
impatient for a comprehensive and up-to-date report mercury also, and were engraving scals "in a style
on discoveries that must mark an epoch in the worthy of the best Mycenncan art." On these seals we find the tiger, elephant, rhinoceros and various
history of Archaeological research, and necessitatea other animals, delineated but not, as it seems, the
complete re-adjustment of previous views on the horse, which Sir John suggests was probably im.
so-called "Aryan " civilization of India. Long
cherished beliefs are indeed being shattered, and old ported into India at a later date by the Aryans.
theories revolutionized, and we begin to realize The inscriptions on these seals are all in the picto.
that archeological exploration is still more or less in graphic script of the period, and have yet to be deciphered. Among the mass of antiquities so far
its infancy. All interested in the subject will also
cagerly await the results of the exploration and recovered mention may be made of two striking paste stamp seals, one with a "Brahmani boll"
excavation work recently carried out by Sir Aurel (Los indicus) device in relief and another with a
Stein in Makran, the Gedrosin, inhabited by Tehthyo. representation of the sacred fig tree (Ficus religiosa),
phagi, of Arrian, where will probably be found traces as the details of the leaves clearly show. The hond!
of one at least of the lines of intercourse by land bet. some and well preserved painted vase, 2 ft. 5 in.
ween ancient Sumer and Elsm and the Indus in height, found at site D and the other picces of
basin. painted pottery at once suggest comparison with the In Eestion III, which deals with epigraphy, at. painted pottery from Susa and that recently dis. tention is drawn to several important inscriptions covered by Mr. Langdon at Jerndet.Nasr in Mesopo. either discovered or deciphered during the year. tamia. It is noteworthy that among the finds Progress is being made with the publication of the registered during the season, which we are told far South Indian Ingeriptions. We would welcome exceeded the total recorded in a single season at similar work in some of the northern provinces. any other site in India, were 177 shell objects, indi. Under Miscellaneous Notes in Section VIII a descating an extensive use of sea-shells for purposes cription is given of a Mathura image of the Naga of inlay as well as for personal ornaments. At the Dadhikarns of the Kushana period, and a new find present time Mohenjo-daro must be some 200 miles is recorded of 15 Andhra lead coins from the Guntur from the sea by the shortest land route, and making district, some of which are of Gautamiputra Sataallowance for the advance of the deltaic coastline kasni and Visiythîputra PulumAyi. The numerous in the course of five millennia, the ancient city must plates are excellently produced. What we chiefly have lain about as far from the mouth of the Indus miss in these annual reports are maps showing the by river. A maritime connexion at least is clearly
position at all events of the principal sites where suggested, though there be yet no definite evidence
exploration has been carried out, in relation to the of intercourse with Sumer and Elam by sea, as Professor Sayee has pointed out.
surrounding country or to geographical features At Harappa, in the Montgomery district of the
marked on the available Survey sheets. Panjab, some 450 miles away, by the side of an old
C. E. A. W. OLDHAM,