ABSTRACT

Indian archaeology has made great strides, and there is a good deal of evidence on the extension of various palaeolithic and mesolithic cultures, although unfortunately interpretation has as yet to rely more on extensive typology than on intensive stratigraphical analyses. Artistically, the best things are a handful of sculptures and especially the splendid stylized animals of the seals. The seals carry an undeciphered script, and their symbolism suggests that some elements in Hinduism, notably Siva-worship, may stem from Harappan culture. Indeed, if the suggestion for the end of Harappan culture is confirmed, it would seem that the civilization must have met its fate at the hands of the Aryan invaders. The British Empire in India was only the latest phase of four and a half centuries of European intrusion. This long history falls into distinct periods. The Europeans were courted for military assistance; and in the whirlpool of Indian politics the possible gains were immense.