Indus Valley civilizations also known as Harapan civilization is one of the three early civilizations of the Near East and South Asia, along with Egypt and Mesopotamia. Indus civilizations sites are very widespread spanning an area from much of Pakistan, to northeast Afghanistan, and northwestern India. Starting from the first brief excavation of Harappa in 1872, over a thousand mature Harappan sites have been reported and nearly a hundred excavated. This course explores different sites of Indus civilization particularly the five major urban centers of this civilization that includes Harappa, Ganweriwala, Rakhigari and two world heritage sites i.e. Mohenjodaro in Pakistan and Dholavira in India. Themes include ancient urbanism, material culture, city planning, trade, art, craftsmanship, pottery and ceramics, agriculture, script, migration, materials, and folklores. Students will learn to engage with the long-sustained legacies of the ancient world which continue to influence life in the contemporary world. We will also learn to critically analyze the existence, management, and recognition of these ancient sites as archaeological heritage today, nationally, and internationally.
5 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit
Indus Valley civilizations also known as Harapan civilization is one of the three early civilizations of the Near East and South Asia, along with Egypt and Mesopotamia. Indus civilizations sites are very widespread spanning an area from much of Pakistan, to northeast Afghanistan, and northwestern India. Starting from the first brief excavation of Harappa in 1872, over a thousand mature Harappan sites have been reported and nearly a hundred excavated. This course explores different sites of Indus civilization particularly the five major urban centers of this civilization that includes Harappa, Ganweriwala, Rakhigari and two world heritage sites i.e. Mohenjodaro in Pakistan and Dholavira in India. Themes include ancient urbanism, material culture, city planning, trade, art, craftsmanship, pottery and ceramics, agriculture, script, migration, materials, and folklores. Students will learn to engage with the long-sustained legacies of the ancient world which continue to influence life in the contemporary world. We will also learn to critically analyze the existence, management, and recognition of these ancient sites as archaeological heritage today, nationally, and internationally.
Offered in Spring 2027 at Stanford University.