1. The Indus Valley Civilization - Augsburg Fortress（1。）.pdfVIP

1. The Indus Valley Civilization Preview What came to be called Hinduism was an amalgamation of beliefs and practices from several sources. This chapter focuses on the first of the two major contributors: the indus Valley Civilization. in subsequent chapters we will focus on the second: the indo-aryans. The discovery of the indus Valley Civilization in the nineteenth century revealed a sophisticated and long-forgotten ancient culture that appears to have contributed to the development of the hindu traditions. in this chapter, we examine the architectural ruins and artifacts left by this civilization and contemplate their import for its inhabitants and for subsequent hindu history. This examination reveals that indus Valley religion focused on maintaining ritual purity and appropriating divine powers to assist in reproduction and the maintenance of life. Finally, we introduce the indo-aryans with a brief discussion of their relationship to the dwellers of the indus Valley. Two major cultural streams contributed to was then northwestern India and is now Paki- the development of what later came to be stan stumbled upon the remains of an ancient called Hinduism. The first was an intriguing city known only to locals. The engineers were and sophisticated ancient culture known today only interested in the well-fired bricks from the as the Indus Valley Civilization. The second ruins, and they proceeded to quarry the city for source was a nomadic people called the Indo- that resource. It was not until the early twenti- Aryans , whom most scholars believe migrated eth century, as other similar sites were uncov- into India from Central Asia and bequeathed ered, that archaeologists appreciated the full to Hindus their most sacred texts and