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Priest-Kings or Puritans? Childe and Willing Subordination in the Indus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Robin Coningham  and
Mark Manuel
Robin Coningham*
Affiliation:
Durham University, UK
Mark Manuel*
Affiliation:
Durham University, UK
*
[email: [email protected]]
[email:[email protected]]
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Abstract

One of the Indus Civilization's most striking features is its cultural uniformity evidenced by a common script, artefact forms and motifs, weights and measures, and the presence of proscribed urban plans. Early excavators and commentators utilized ideas of diffusion, and concepts of kingship and slavery remained prevalent within interpretations of the Indus. Whilst Childe questioned ideas of diffusion and hereditary rule he still identified a system of economic exploitation in which the vast majority of the population was subordinated. More recently scholars have begun to argue that small sections of the Indus population may have willingly subordinated themselves in order to secure positions of power. This article explores the dichotomy between traditional Eurocentric normative models of social organization and those derived from south Asian cultural traditions.

Une des caractéristiques les plus frappantes de la civilisation de l'Indus est son uniformité culturelle attestée par une écriture, des formes et motifs d'artefacts et des poids et mesures communs et la présence de plans urbains proscrits. Les premiers fouilleurs et observateurs utilisaient des idées de dispersion, et parmi les interprétations de l'Indus les concepts de royauté et d'esclavage prévalaient. Tandis que Childe mettait en question les idées de dispersion et d'autorité héréditaire, il identifiait toujours un système d'exploitation économique dans lequel la vaste majorité de la population était subordonnée. Plus récemment les chercheurs ont commencé de soutenir que de petites parties de la population de l'Indus se sont peut-être soumises de leur plein gré afin de se procurer des positions de pouvoir. Cet article examine la dichotomie entre des modèles normatifs traditionnels et eurocentriques de l'organisation sociale, et ceux dérivés des cultures traditionnelles d'Asie du sud.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Eines der verblüffendsten Merkmale der Indus-Zivilisation ist die kulturelle Uniformität, die durch eine gemeinsame Schrift, Artefaktformen und Motive sowie Gewichte, Maße und das Vorhandensein einheitlicher Stadtpläne belegt wird. Frühe Ausgräber und Bearbeiter nutzten Ideen von Diffusion, und Konzepte von Königtum und Sklaverei blieben vorherrschend für die Interpretation der Indus-Kultur. Obwohl Childe Ideen von Diffusion und erblicher Regentschaft kritisch gegenüberstand, identifizierte er dennoch ein System ökonomischer Ausbeutung in dem die überwiegende Mehrheit der Gesellschaft untergeordnet war. Jüngere Forscher haben zu vermuten begonnen, dass kleine Teile der Indus-Population sich freiwillig untergeordnet haben, um Machtpositionen zu sichern. Dieser Aufsatz untersucht die Dichotomie zwischen eurozentrischen normativen Modellen sozialer Organisation und denen, die sich aus südasiatischen Kulturtraditionen entwickelten.

Keywords

asceticismHarappaIndus ValleyMohenjo-daroMortimer Wheelersocial organizationStuart PiggottVere Gordon ChildeascétismeHarappaVallée de l'IndusMohenjo-daroMortimer Wheelerorganisation socialeStuart PiggottVere Gordon ChildeAsketismusHarappaIndustalMohenjo-darosoziale OrganisationMortimer WheelerStuart PiggottVere Gordon Childe
Type
Articles
Information
European Journal of Archaeology , Volume 12 , Issue 1-3 , 2009 , pp. 167 - 180
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 Sage Publications 

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