An Ancient Civilization, Upended by Climate Change

The Vedas, a collection of texts composed over 3,000 years ago in India, speak of a mythical sacred river called the Sarasvati from which the Hindu goddess of science and learning emerged. Hers was a river “surpassing in majesty and might all other waters.” But around 4,000 years ago, all was lost when climate change kicked in.

 That is the conclusion of a group of geologists, geomorphologists, archaeologists and mathematicians who joined forces to answer a question that has dogged scholars for centuries: what became of the Indus civilization?

 This colossal civilization rose about 4,500 years ago, flourished for 600 years and then began a steady and relentless decline. Previous scholars hypothesized that regional strife or a foreign invasion led to its unraveling, while others suggested that environmental factors may have been to blame. The researchers who took part in the new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, had a hunch that the latter theory was correct.

 “What we thought was missing was how to link climate to people,” said Liviu Giosan, a geologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts and the lead author of the study. “The answer came when we looked at the wide-scale morphology.”

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See also Migration of monsoons created, then killed Harappan civilization

India's $22B treasure trove has great 'archeological significance': expert

While one of India's richest temples is garnering worldwide attention for its estimated $22-billion treasure trove, a Canadian researcher says archeologists, scholars, economists and even jewellers are eager to flock to the site to study its historical impact.

The haul from the underground chambers of a medieval Hindu temple in Thiruvananthapuram, India, included enormous quantities of gold coins dating back to the era of French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte, and silk bundles full of diamonds, jewelry and Belgian gold — all artifacts that could help researchers paint of a picture of what world trade looked like between the 16th and 19th century, said Amitava Chowdhury, a Queen's University history professor who was an archeologist in Mauritius for several years.

"This finding showed the kind of international trade in billions of precious items, the evolution of jewelry and stone cutting, coins from all over the world. As an archeologist, what's interesting to me is what you can find out about various cultures based on these precious commodities," he said.

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Aga Khan Trust helps restore 16th century tomb

The Sunderwala Burj, a 16th century mausoleum adjacent to Mughal emperor Humayun's tomb, has been given a major facelift by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, with the US embassy funding and support of the Archaeological Survey of India.

The mausoleum, part of the Humayun's tomb complex, was restored at a cost of $50,000 from the American Ambassador's Fund for Culture Preservation and a matching grant of the Aga Khan Trust, said conservation architect Ratish Nanda, who head the trust's projects in India.

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Pattanam finds throw more light on early maritime trade

A litany of finds that include iron and copper nails, Roman glass, Chola coins, and terracotta and semi-precious stone beads that sheds new light on the life and times of the ancient Kerala port of Muziris surfaced in the latest archaeological excavations at Pattanam near here.

The excavations, carried out by the Kerala Council for Historical Research in partnership with the Archaeological Survey of India, universities, and research institutions, unearthed more evidence of Kerala's brisk maritime trade with Mesopotamian and Mediterranean regions two millennia ago, according to P.J. Cherian who directs the digs at Pattanam.

The Muziris port, believed to have been located close to the present Kodungalloor, had a thriving urban culture and international trade around the beginning of the Christian era. The port that finds mention in the ancient historical and literary texts is believed to have lost to a massive flood in the Periyar river in the 14th century.

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India: Inscribed stone belongs to late medieval period

Archaeological experts have confirmed that the ancient stone, with inscriptions on it, which was recently discovered by the Western Railway, belong to the late medieval period.

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials said the stone dated back to the period between 13th and 15th centuries. The stone was found buried near Nalasopara railway station in the mid-20th century. It was later brought to Mahalaxmi railway scrap yard, where it has been lying for around 40 years.

Click here to read this article from The Times of India