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The Indus civilization flourished for half a millennium from about 2600 to 1900 BC, when it mysteriously declined and vanished from view. It remained invisible for almost four thousand years, until its ruins were discovered in the 1920s by British and Indian archaeologists. Today, after almost a century of excavation, it is regarded as the beginning of Indian civilization and possibly the origin of Hinduism.The Indus: Lost Civilizations, now available in paperback, is an accessible introduction to every significant aspect of an extraordinary and tantalizing lost civilization, which combined artistic excellence, technological sophistication and economic vigour with social egalitarianism, political freedom and religious moderation. The book also discusses the vital legacy of the Indus civilization in India and Pakistan today.
About the author
Andrew Robinson is the author of some 25 books on the arts and sciences, and writes for Current World Archaeology, The Lancet, Nature and Science. His recent books include Lost Languages: The Enigma of the World’s Undeciphered Scripts (2009), Earthquake: Nature and Culture (Reaktion, 2012) and India: A Short History (2014). He has been a Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge and is a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Summary
An accessible introduction to the Indus, an extraordinary ‘lost’ ancient civilization.
Report
[a] wonderfully eloquent and informative new book . . . Robinson examines by chapter every aspect of this deliciously intriguing civilisation, from religion, society, art, trade, and agriculture, to their origins, disappearance and rediscovery . . . a comprehensive account of the Indus people, condensed into a highly accessible volume and a very good read indeed.',
