Ideology and the Harappan civilization

Abstract

<p>This paper has two principal aims, the first of which is to relate our knowledge about the Indus or Harappan civilization, which flourished in Pakistan and northwest India between 2600 B.C. and 2000 B.C., to more general comparative models of early civilizations. In recent times the Harappan has become the least used and least influential example in such studies. The second aim is to show how ideas derived from the critique of ideology which have recently been applied to the analysis of prehistoric materials, particularly aspects of European prehistory (Miller and Tilley 1984), may also be used in the analysis of such an early civilization. This approach is predicated on the assumption that the prehistoric record can be interpreted not as a mere passive reflection of a past society but as a process of representation which acted to constitute as well as to reflect social relations.</p>\n<p>The current interpretation of the Harappan civilization is influenced by the existence of a more general branch of archaeology called the study of ancient civilizations or states. This involves the comparative analysis of areas which include, at the minimum, early China, the Harappan, Peru, Mesoamerica, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. Many synthetic presentations discuss these as related phenomena, looking for comparative traits or defining criteria (e.g., Daniel 1968; Redman 1978). This is particularly the case with the Harappan, which has been interpreted as at least partially influenced by the earliest of such civilizations in Sumeria. It has become increasingly clear through recent excavations and analyses that the Harappan presents some striking contrasts with the Middle East and other early civilizations. One of the purposes of this review of the evidence is to recognize the impact that this subsuming category has had upon our previous interpretations and to suggest that it is these particular differentiating characteristics which make the Harappan of great interest.</p>