Mohenjo-daro and the Indus Valley Civilization
By Narendra Nath Law
Summary
Law’s long article synthesizes the archaeological findings from Mohenjo‑daro and the broader Indus Valley Civilization. He describes the city’s layout with its citadel and lower town, its sophisticated drainage system, brick architecture, granaries, and communal baths. Law enumerates artifacts: seals engraved with script and animal motifs, terracotta figurines, weights, and tools. He discusses evidence for trade with Mesopotamia, referencing cylinder seals and the possible identification of Meluhha with the Indus region. Law analyses the undeciphered script, speculating on its structure and relation to Proto‑Dravidian languages. He considers religious aspects, such as the proto‑Śiva figure and fertility goddess figurines, and the absence of large temples. The article debates whether the civilization was Aryan or pre‑Aryan, concluding that it predates the Vedic culture and displays indigenous development. Law also examines the decline of Mohenjo‑daro, attributing it to environmental change, shifting river courses, or external incursions.
Conclusion
Law concludes that the Indus Valley Civilization represents an early urban tradition independent of Vedic Aryans. Its achievements in urban planning and craft production challenge linear narratives of Indian history. The demise of the civilization, he argues, resulted from ecological factors rather than invasion, and its heritage may have influenced later Indian cultures.