Evolution | Harappa

Books on the evolution or change in popular theory of the field and study of the ancient Indus Valley and Harappan people, their culture, architecture, artifacts, and language as well as the change of the locations and sites themselves.

Prehistoric Civilization of the Indus Valley

K. N. Dikshit

These lectures at the University of Madras in 1935 by the archaeologist K. N. Dikshit is a little known but well-written and surprisingly relevant summary of what was known about the ancient Indus civilization after the first 14 years of excavations. >

The Dawn of Everything A New History of Humanity

David Graeber

This much-hyped book, a hefty 700 pages, tries to write a "new history of humanity" by undermining the standard preconception that there was some sort of inevitable march towards cities and states an… >

Urban Cultures of Central Asia from the Bronze Age to the Karakhanids: Learnings and conclusions from new archaeological investigations and discoveries

An exceptional collection by a wide variety of archaeologists that speak to discoveries in the past decades in Central Asia and what they may imply for cultural development in the wider region, including the ancient Indus area. >

Inter-Regional Interaction and Urbanism in the Ancient Indus Valley

Randall W. Law

This book brought a trove of new information to bear that is slowly making its way into Indus archaeology while its materials analysis techniques are becoming more prevalent and important. >

Wanderers, Kings, Merchants

Peggy Mohan

Peggy Mohan's Wanderers, Kings, Merchants: The Story of India through Its Languages offers a fascinating linguistic journey through Indian history, examining how migrations, conquests, and cultural exchanges have shaped the languages of the subcontinent. >

Mesopotamia The Invention of the City

Gwendolyn Leick

Although not about the ancient Indus valley, this groundbreaking examination of ten ancient Mesopotamian cities is rich food for thought about how ancient Indus cities may have developed. >