The Harappan civilization, 2000 yrs without war

[Peter1469]

The Harappan civilization, 2000 yrs without war

I admit, that while I have heard of this civilization, I didn't know anything about it. Here is a really cool article on them. No evidence of war (sure some killing, just not war) in 2000 years.

The Harappan civilization dominated the Indus River valley beginning about five thousand years ago, many of its massive cities sprawling at the edges of rivers that still flow through Pakistan and India today. But its culture remains a mystery. Why did it leave behind no representations of great leaders, nor of warfare?


Archaeologists have long wondered whether the Harappan civilization could actually have thrived for roughly 2,000 years without any major wars or leadership cults. Obviously people had conflicts, sometimes with deadly results — graves reveal ample skull injuries caused by blows to the head. But there is no evidence that any Harappan city was ever burned, besieged by an army, or taken over by force from within. Sifting through the archaeological layers of these cities, scientists find no layers of ash that would suggest the city had been burned down, and no signs of mass destruction. There are no enormous caches of weapons, and not even any art representing warfare.

[Spectre]

People thought the Mayans were a peaceful civilization until comparatively recently, then with greater understanding and information we now know they were anything but.

[Peter1469]

People thought the Mayans were a peaceful civilization until comparatively recently, then with greater understanding and I formation we now know they were anything but.

From the OP:

But there is no evidence that any Harappan city was ever burned, besieged by an army, or taken over by force from within. Sifting through the archaeological layers of these cities, scientists find no layers of ash that would suggest the city had been burned down, and no signs of mass destruction. There are no enormous caches of weapons, and not even any art representing warfare.

[Mister D]

People thought the Mayans were a peaceful civilization until comparatively recently, then with greater understanding and I formation we now know they were anything but.

I have to admit this does sound suspect.

[The Xl]

Certainly interesting if true. Seems to go against human instinct and psychology.

[Peter1469]

true