Mohenjo-daro and the Aryans
Summary
This article evaluates Dr. L. Sarup’s inquiry into the relationship between the Indus Valley civilization and the Rgveda. Contrary to the prevailing view that the Indus culture was pre‑Aryan and non‑Aryan—often assumed to be Dravidian—Sarup reviews anthropological and literary evidence to argue that the population was racially mixed. Cranial measurements reveal resemblances to Sumerian and Mongolian types rather than a single Aryan or Dravidian stock. Sarup suggests the Indus cities were cosmopolitan centres with contributions from several races. He also discusses the undeciphered script, noting that scholars still do not know whether it is written right‑to‑left or left‑to‑right, nor whether the language is agglutinative or inflected. Claims of its Dravidian origin remain unconvincing without published proofs. The author concludes that while there may be connections between the Indus culture and the Rgveda, definitive judgments on its Aryan or non‑Aryan character must await the decipherment of the script and further archaeological evidence. The article therefore cautions against simplistic ethnic labels and underscores the complexity of early Indian civilisation.
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Conclusion
In reassessing the Indus civilization’s ethnic affiliation, the article cautions against equating archaeological cultures with linguistic or racial groups. The mixed anthropological data and the undeciphered script prevent firm conclusions about Aryan or Dravidian identity. Sarup’s balanced appraisal suggests that the Indus cities were cosmopolitan centres influenced by various peoples, and that their relation to Vedic culture remains complex. Future discoveries—particularly of the script—will be crucial for understanding how the Indus civilization relates to the development of early Indian society.