ABSTRACT
S outh Asia is defi ned by vast geographical barriers (see Figure 5.1). To the north stand the Himalayas, a huge mountain chain extending more than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) from the Hindu Kush in the west to Assam in the east. High passes traverse the mountains into Afghanistan, central Asia, and Tibet, but the most accessible routes are the northwestern defi les into western Afghanistan, Iran, and Baluchistan. The Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Bay of Bengal surround the Indian subcontinent, while tropical rainforests restrict access to the
CHAPTER OUTLINE
The Origins of Village Life and the Rise of the Indus Civilization (before 2500 B.C.) 136
Mehrgarh 138 Early Indus (late fourth and early third millennia B.C.) 138 Trade and Exchange 139
Mature Harappan Civilization (c. 2500-2050 B.C.) 141 Cities and Artisans 141 Technology and Trade 144 Political and Social Organization 145 Religious Beliefs 147 Collapse (c. 2000 B.C.) 148
Rural Interlude (2000-600 B.C.) 150 Early Historic Cities (600-150 B.C.) 151
east. With such geographical frontiers, one might expect South Asia to have become culturally isolated. In fact, as this chapter shows, it has assimilated people and ideas for thousands of years, developing highly complex societies of considerable diversity.
