Mehrgarh Civilization - Indus Valley Civilization

MEHRGARH CIVILIZATION- CURRENTLY BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN.

Mehrgarh is located near the Bolan Pass, to the west of the Indus River valley and between the now Pakistani cities of Quetta, Kalat and Sibi i.e. almost 30 km from Sibi and could have been established on the present Bolan River which is close to drying up.

Before we learn more about the Mehrgarh civilization I would like you all to know some of the technicalities used in Archaeological circles.

A short summary of the period of ages:

1. Stone age: Earliest era of human existence, people used artifacts made of stones.Its the period before 10,200 B.C.E
2. Neolithic Age: Known as the New Stone Age, it was the last part of the Stone age and dated between the years 10200 BCE- 4500 BCE.
3. Chalcolithic Age: Known as the Copper Age which is said to be the first metal age, which is also included in the Bronze Age. Mostly found artifacts date it back to the period 5000-4000 BCE till 700 BCE.
4. Bronze Age:Bronze is an alloy made from Copper and Zinc/Tin. Mostly the time period between 3000 BCE - 1000 BCE which include the Rig Vedic period.
5. Iron Age: The last part of the Indus Valley civilization which includes the era 1200 BCE - 26 BCE as far as India is considered.

Mehrgarh Civilization:

   Major Language: Unknown

     Major population: Native Indians (25,000)

Excavated Mehrgarh village. approx 7000 BCE

• Mehrgarh was discovered and excavations begun by a French team led by Jean-François Jarrige; the site was excavated continuously between 1974 and 1986.
• Early evidence has been found suggesting that a Civilization existed in Mehrgarh as early as 7000 BCE which is 3500 years before the Indus Civilization!
• Mehrgarh is supposedly the most sophisticated, ingenuous and best planned ancient farm villages of ancient India.
•  One amazing bit of info about this town is that in 7000 BC it had a population of 25000 people, which was the number of people living in the entire Egypt in 7000 BCE. 

Earlier influence and advancement in science and arts

• Lot of influence in History has always been on Egypt and Turkey during the period 7000 BCE, but Mehrgarh was far advanced than both of them!
• Grains as old as 12000 years have been found in Jericho, Palestine but there is no instance of civilization as early as 4000 BCE! 
• There are mud brick houses and also granaries have been found!
• The most unique discovery is the first known origin of the dental surgery and related medicinal activities exercised in Mehrgarh area. The discovery proves the great innovative mind and developmental level of those people about 9000 years ago.
• Now here it gets interesting ( IN DETAIL ):

• According to a report in the April 6, 2006 issue of Nature, Italian researchers working at a cemetery site in the Neolithic town of Mehrgarh discovered drill holes on at least eleven molars from people buried in the cemetery.
•  Light microscopy showed the holes were conical, cylindrical or trapezoidal in shape.
•  A few had concentric rings showing drill bit marks; and a few had some evidence for decay. No filling material was noted; but tooth wear on the drill marks indicate that each of these individuals continued to live on after the drilling was completed.

Drilled, maxillary left second molar from an adult male in neolithic Mehrgarh

(Museum L.Pigorini , ROME)

•  Dental caries (or cavities) are the result of sugars and starches in the food we eat. Hunter-gatherers, who rely on animal protein, do not generally have cavities; cavities associated with the use of roots and tubers, or starchy grains.
• Researchers point out that only four of the eleven teeth contained clear evidence of decay associated with drilling; however, the drilled teeth are restricted to molars in the back of both lower and upper jaws, and thus are not likely to have been done for decorative purposes. 
• Flint drill bits are known from Mehrgarh, long associated with the bead industry there. The researchers conducted experiments and discovered that using a flint drill bit attached to a bow-drill, it required under a minute to produce similar holes in human enamel.

A figurine from Mehrgarh, 3000 BCE. (Musée Guimet, Paris)

• The oldest ceramic figurines in South Asia were found at Mehrgarh. They occur in all phases of the settlement and were prevalent even before pottery appears!
• No other civilization in any other part of the world existed then; what to speak of a level of perfection in the art and craft elsewhere.
• Mostly figurines of terracotta and clay have been found along with those of stone mostly consisting of females which points to deities related to fertility rites and male figurines were also found with turbans on the heads!
• People in this part of Pakistan still wear turbans and the total amount of figurines unearthed were over 32,000!

Lifestyle and Decline of Mehrgarh Civilization

• There is evidence that people in Mehrgarh used to cultivate Wheat, Rice and Barley where Rice was the staple diet.
• They also had cattle comprising of goats and sheep. They also had the techniques for fishing.
• The first use of cotton in the history of mankind has been found at Mehrgarh.
• It leaves archaeologists stunned that Mehrgarh natives also knew Fabric Weaving!!
• The people were buried unlike in the Hindu custom where the bodies are burnt which is also interesting.
• The people were buried along with pitchers and ornaments, a custom which was also observed in Egypt!
• At the height of civilization it covered over 200 hectares or 2 square km for 25000 people!
• During the period 2500 BCE - 2000 BCE there has been a migration towards Harappa and Mohen-jo-daro and also to Nausharo which is 6 km south of Mehrgarh in the wake of Indus Valley Civilization!

SALIENT FEATURES OF MEHRGARH CIVILIZATION (SUMMARY)

• One amazing bit of info about this town is that in 7000 BC it had a population of 25000 people, which was the number of people living in the entire Egypt in 7000 BCE. 
• There are mud brick houses and also granaries in Mehrgarh as early as 7000 BCE.
• Mehrgarhians as I call them were experts in medical and dental fields and had found a cure to dental caries and could effectively remove cavities!
• The oldest ceramic figurines in South Asia were found at Mehrgarh.
• Mostly figurines of terracotta and clay have been found along with those of stone mostly consisting of females which points to deities related to fertility rites and male figurines were also found with turbans on the heads! Total amount of figurines unearthed were over 32,000!
• The first use of cotton in the history of mankind has been found at Mehrgarh.
• Mehrgarhians also knew how to weave fabric and wore it as a cloth.
• Mehrgarh stretched over 2 square kms for 25000 people!
• Mehrgarhians buried their dead with items such as pitchers and ornaments.
• The city died after the SAPT SINDHU CIVLIZATION reached its peak during the period 2500 BCE- 2000 BCE.