Clear proof of continuities exists between Indus and cultures that developed later: Jamison

Gregg Jamison discusses the cultural legacy of the Indus Valley Civilisation and the importance of understanding continuities in south Asia.

Clear evidence of continuities can be seen between the Indus and cultures that developed later, not only in Tamil Nadu but across south Asia. These are crucial in understanding the long-standing cultural legacy of the Indus Valley Civilisation, Gregg Jamison, Professor of Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin, the U.S, said on Sunday.

Mr. Jamison is in Chennai to participate in the three-day International Conference on the centenary of the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation, organised by the State Department of Archaeology and Roja Muthiah Research Library.

Mr. Jamison, whose primary research focussed on how Indus seals were made and used, told The Hindu that the seals were made for a very long period. Inscriptions could be seen on many of them. “The continuities [between the Indus and the cultures that developed later] are also important for us to focus on changes, because all cultures are dynamic and change over time. When we look at a long time frame, we can see those continuities, which are necessary to understand culture and tradition,” he said.

Emphasising the need to decipher the Indus script, Mr. Jamison said: “Several scholars from Tamil Nadu and other parts of India had done extensive work on this area. It is important to keep coming up with new ideas and testing them with archaeological evidence, until it [the script] is deciphered....”

He further said that international conferences, such as the one in Chennai, were invaluable in bringing together scholars and students to discuss new approaches to study the Indus Valley Civilisation and celebrate its legacy.

Echoing his views, and calling the event a historic moment, former bureaucrat and Indus researcher R. Balakrishnan said, “I wholeheartedly welcome this initiative of celebrating the centenary of the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation in Tamil Nadu. Conferences of this kind create a scope for discussion among scholars, researchers and other enthusiasts to share their ideas...”

The answer to the questions on what is the need for a statue of Sir John Marshall in Tamil Nadu, and why the State government announced a $1-million prize for deciphering the Indus Valley Script lies in understanding that the legacy of the civilisation was not just restricted to a few places. “It plays a crucial role in the history of the Indian subcontinent...,” he added.