The Hakra Cultural Horizon in the Greater Indus Valley

Abstract

Research in the archaeology of South Asia and particularly Pakistan and India is scarce. Scarcity of research and production of new knowledge about Indus Civilization is equally hampered. The recent most discovery about a new aspect of Indus Civilization happened in 1970s and later it was defined under new terminology. It also gave a new direction to the research in early phases of Indus Civilization hence Early Indus Civilization Period was defined cogently and a proper chronological sequence was established from Neolithic Period in Balochistan to the Mature Indus Period when civilization fully emerged. The newly discovered phase or aspect of the Indus Civilization was separately termed and defined as Hakra Culture and often written as Hakra Phase or Hakra Period by many different scholars. This study undertakes specific role of the Hakra Period and its role in Indus Civilization and chronology of South Asia. First chapter defines the terminology of the title and its background. Also it establishes the orientation of the research. Theories applied and methodology used is explained in the chapter. Moreover literature review and scheme of the thesis, Hakra as cultural aspect and in accordance with Early phases of Indus Civilization. Second Chapter sheds light on the background of the discovery of the civilization and how research in Indus Civilization developed overtime. Moreover, the establishment of the early village farming communities of Mehrgarh in the highlands of Balochistan and their movement down to the low lands along the banks of Indus River as pastoral camps initially and ultimate culmination into a civilization. Third chapter is about geographical boundaries of the civilization and definition of greater Indus Valley. It also talks about the river Hakra out of which the term has been derived and associated with a deeply integrated and rich aspect of the early phases of Indus Civilization. It also throws light about the natural resources, river track and travel routes for trade and interaction purposes. Fourth Chapter is about Early Period in Indus Civilization which was defined as a sequential phase of the civilization, its nature, characteristics and how it adds quality to the overall idea and theme of the research. The major sites and their contribution to the chronology of the Indus Civilization has been discussed. Fifth Chapter defines Hakra Cultural Horizon in isolation, its initially discover, nature and characteristics of culture material which makes it unique to be studied throughly and to be designated as separate phenomena. Its a huge phenomena and rarely studied, the density of sites in Cholistan desert along the now dry bed of Hakra river which was first identified at a site named Jalilpur in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. Also number of sites and their location in India and Pakistan is discussed. Newly excavated sites of Hakra Period in India.