Tales Cities Tell (Indus Valley)

The Hindu ^ | 4-20-2007 | Dr TV Padma

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Tales cities tell

DR. T. V. PADMA

According to archaeologists Indus cities had an efficient administrative system.

Archaeologists have made intelligent guesses about Indus society by carefully studying the cities. Because the cities were so similar, it is reasonable to think that the people living in them shared ideas. How were the Indus cities kept in good condition for centuries? An efficient administration was probably in place to collect taxes for city maintenance. The similarities in the city layouts, home architecture, brick size, well construction and drainage systems also suggest a strong central authority.

Peaceful people

Yet, if hereditary kings controlled the entire civilisation, why haven't any palaces, monuments or armouries been excavated? The lack of such structures, together with other clues, lead many archaeologists to believe that a group of people held the power to make decisions. This elite group does not seem to have hoarded wealth or weapons. And though there are mansions and tiny dwellings, the society seems to have been fairly egalitarian.

The streets and houses with open courtyards would have been hard to defend. City walls seem to have been designed to control access and protect against floods, and none shows sign of attack.

Some archaeologists think that while Indus society was not utopian, its administrators maintained order largely by promoting trade and demonstrating concern for the prosperity of all citizens.

Some archaeologists refuse to believe that despite all the evidence to support the idea that the Indus civilisation was predominantly peaceful, there must have been wars. They cannot imagine that human beings could have existed without it. But other scholars prefer to subscribe to the theory that while there almost certainly were personal struggles for power, overall, the Indus was a unique example of a civilisation that was predominantly peaceful.