Richard H. Meadow

Ancient Indus questions answered by Dr. Richard H. Meadow, Peabody Museum, Harvard University, and author of Harappa Excavation Reports 1986-1990 and South Asian Archaeology 1989. He has numerous articles on this website, and slideshows like Intro to Around the Indus in 90 Slides 2, Mystery at Mound F, Harappa, Harappa 2000-2001, Harappa Excavations 1995-2001, and the illustrated essays Recent Indus Discoveries and Highlights from Excavations at Harappa 1998-2000 and Early Developments of Art, Symbol, Technology in the Indus Valley Tradition.

Submitted by Manzoor

Jane McIntosh
I don't think that there was a single cause of the Indus civilization's end; rather it was the cumulative effect of a number of factors:

28. Was drug-smoking prevalent in the Indus Valley Civilization?

Jane McIntosh

Richard H. Meadow

Last year I visited gallery of Harappan Civilization at the National Museum, New Delhi. Among the artifacts, I saw a small 'chillum' (hand-held twin pipe) similar to that 'sadhus' (wandering Hindu monks) use in smoking 'charas' (hand-made hashish) and 'ganja' (marijuana). Discussing the history of cannabis, the Wikipedia quotes that charred cannabis seeds were found in a 3rd millenium BC grave in Romania. Submitted with illustration by Vasant Dave

4. What kind of evidence has been used to argue that the Indus Valley Civilization was a matriarchy?

Richard H. Meadow

"I'd like the experts to confirm or refute that the Indus Valley civilization was a matriarchy following the scientific definition given by Heide Goettner-Abendroth in Modern Matriarchal Studies: Definitions, Scope and Topicality." Asked by Sede Decana Método DeRose and Luciano