The Ancient Indus Valley: New Perspectives (Understanding Ancient Civilizations)

This book treats the known facts, questions and mysteries of the Indus Civilization with thoroughness and care. The author discusses many aspects of the ancient civilization in depth, speaking to the lay reader with clarity and evident mastery of the subject. Jane McIntosh treats the unknown, of which there is a great deal, judiciously. For example, she has a chapter on the language in which she presents the possible historical links to the unsolved puzzle and explores the various theories that have been put forth, but, while she offers her thoughts, she takes no strong stand of her own. The author also describes in some depth the cultures with which the Indus Civilization had ties so the reader experiences a broader perspective of the age and the surrounds. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is fascinated by the Indus Civilization.

Very good book.

Using this book to begin my study of ancient Indian civilization, I could not have been more pleased. McIntosh presents a thorough analysis of archaeological evidence used in the study of the ancient Indus culture, as well as neighboring and contemporary foreign cultures, topic by topic. She begins with a thorough look at the geography and resources of the river basins, and then touches on religious and political aspects of the culture. Of course, the author is incredibly careful and straightforward about the lack of written evidence about the culture, and the persistent problem of translating the Indus script. Indeed, throughout the work, the author is moderate and reasoned in his approached to the present evidence, fairly offering her own position as one of many. Overall, this is the perfect overview of the ancient Indus culture, and I have nothing but positive things to say about its content.