Rethinking the Indus

Cork, Edward:
Rethinking the Indus : a comparative re-evaluation of the Indus civilisation as an alternative paradigm in the organisation and structure of early complex societies / Edward Cork. - Oxford : Archaeopress, 2011. - 282 S. : Ill., Kt. - (BAR international series ; 2213)
Hochschulschrift. Durham, Univ., Diss., 2006 unter dem Titel: Rethinking the Indus myths : a comparative re-evaluation of the Indus civilisation as an alternative paradigm in the organisation and structure of early complex societies
ISBN 978-1-4073-0771-8
£ 48,00
DDC: 934.01

Beschreibung
In many ways, we are presented today with a situation much like that described for Indus Civilisation studies in the 1960s: a particular model has been favoured for some time, but it is yet to be rigorously investigated, especially in the light of recent advances in data, methodologies and theory. This study aims to do that, employing a comparative approach with the aim of testing many of the explicit and implicit comparisons with Mesopotamia that are at the heart of this interpretation. Three types of data are considered: domestic architecture, metalwork and settlement patterns. Each is dealt with by a single chapter, which begins by identifying the relevance of that dataset to the ‘alternative paradigm’ interpretation, and the individual statements made of that dataset which form a part of the wider interpretation. The three chapters proceed to test those statements using comparative data from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Iran and the Gulf, depending on the availability of suitable comparative material. The theoretical background to the approach and the methodologies adopted is discussed in the following chapter. A feature of this study is that, having described an interpretation of the Indus Civilisation currently enjoying common currency, it sets out to challenge and investigate this academic position. In doing so, especially due to the methodological decision to test specific statements, it indiscriminately scrutinizes a large number of statements and interpretations made by a number of scholars. [Verlagsinformation]

Aus dem Inhalt
Introduction. The IC: an early complex society with unique structural organisation?
Origins of current interpretation of the IC
The aims and approach of this study
The comparative method. Introduction
Social evolution and the comparative method
Metalwork and metalworking
Settlement patterns. Introduction
Conclusion: Summary
Appendix A. Architectural data used in chapter 3
Appendix B. Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests on house size distribution
Appendix C. Permeability maps for the houses used in access analysis, including house RRA and courtyard RRA values
Appendix D. Assessing the reliability of published Indus metalwork data
Appendix E. Catalogue of metalworks in the Lothal Site Museum and Archive
Appendix F. Elemental composition data used in chapter 4
Appendix G. Problems recreating Adams' influential 'four-tiered' settlement hierarchy
Appendix H. Problems with using sites on the Indus floodplain in settlement analyses
Appendix I. Metalwork data
Bibliography.

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