THE Indus Valley civilisation is amongst the oldest in a long list of cultures that this land has seen. But as scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, and the Archaeological Survey of India have recently discovered, the Indus Valley culture may be much older than is currently believed. As per a report published in Nature, researchers say the civilisation may be up to 8,000 years old; this would make it older than the ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures. The thought is fascinating, even though we know so very little about this ancient civilisation, primarily because its script remains undeciphered. Researchers have also come up with another unique conclusion: they say it was probably climate change that led to the end of this culture. If the findings of the research are further substantiated, it would make the Indus Valley culture around 2,500 years older than previously thought.

As an inheritor of the Indus Valley civilisation, these findings should be of great interest to Pakistan. After all, it is in Sindh’s district Larkana that Moenjodaro — one of the jewels in the crown of the Indus Valley civilisation — is located, whereas Harappa in Punjab is another key site. The process of uncovering the remains of the Indus Valley culture occurred in the colonial period, in the early decades of the 20th century. However, we have not come very far when it comes to unravelling the mysteries of this lost culture. Moreover, the vagaries of time, the harshness of the weather, and the neglect of man have all taken their toll on these magnificent ruins. It is also true that much of Moenjodaro remains unexcavated. It goes without saying that the state needs to prioritise the upkeep of this and other cultural and historical treasures that are spread out across Pakistan. Also, the government should take the initiative by engaging local and foreign experts to study the Indus Valley culture through the use of scientific methods.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2016