What do you think?
Rate this book
Civilizations of the Indus Valley and Beyond
Library of the Early Civilizations: Prefatory note, introduction, bibliography, list of illustrations, index.
"The largest of the world's three most ancient civilizations, the civilization of the Indus Valley is best known from two of its huge cities, Mohenjo-daro & Harappa. It was only in the 1920s that the excavations of Sir John Marshall & his colleagues opened the eyes of the world to an additional 2000 years of rich Indian prehistory. Since then many sites of all periods have been dug & work still continues."
"The largest of the world's three most ancient civilizations, the civilization of the Indus Valley is best known from two of its huge cities, Mohenjo-daro & Harappa. It was only in the 1920s that the excavations of Sir John Marshall & his colleagues opened the eyes of the world to an additional 2000 years of rich Indian prehistory. Since then many sites of all periods have been dug & work still continues."
- GenresHistoryArchaeology
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
2 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler
43 books9 followersBrigadier Sir Robert Eric Mortimer Wheeler CH, CIE, MC, FBA, FSA, was one of the best-known archaeologists of the twentieth century.
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he was educated at Bradford Grammar School and the University of London where he achieved an MA degree in 1912. In 1913 he won the studentship for archaeology established jointly by the University of London and the Society of Antiquaries in memory of Augustus Wollaston Franks. Sir Arthur Evans doubled the amount of money that went with the studentship, paying out of his own pocket another £100. In late autumn 1913 he began to work for the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England).
At the beginning of World War I he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery (Territorial Force), at first remaining in London as an instructor in the University of London Officers' Training Corps. Then he was posted to several battery commands in Scotland and England until 1917. The last part of the war he fought in France, Passchendaele, the Western Front, near Bapaume, and finally marched into Germany, commanding 'A' Battery of 76th Brigade, RFA. During July 1919 he returned from the Rhineland to London and to civilian life.
The excavations at Maiden Castle, Dorset, in October 1937 were led by Mortimer Wheeler. Photograph by Major George Allen (1891–1940).
Between 1920 and 1926 he was Director of the National Museum of Wales, and from 1926 to 1944 Keeper of the London Museum. During his career he performed many major excavations within Britain, including that of Roman Verulamium (modern-day St Albans), the late Iron Age hill-fort of Maiden Castle, Dorset and Stanwick Iron Age Fortifications in Yorkshire. The excavation methods he used, for example the grid system (later developed further by Kathleen Kenyon and known as the Wheeler-Kenyon method), were significant advances in archaeological method, although later superseded. He was influenced greatly by the work of the archaeologist Lieutenant General Augustus Pitt Rivers (1827–1900). The two constant themes in his attempts to improve archaeological excavation were, first, to maintain strict stratigraphic control while excavating (for this purpose, the baulks between his trenches served to retain a record of the strata that had been dug through), and, second, to publish the excavation promptly and in a form that would tell the story of the site to the intelligent reader.
When World War II was imminent he returned from excavating a site in Normandy during August 1939 to join the Middlesex Territorial Association at Enfield. He stayed there until 1941 when his unit was transferred into the regular army forces as the 48th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, which became a part of the 42nd Mobile Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment and went with the 8th Army to Northern Africa. There he served at the Second Battle of El Alamein. During September 1943 he commanded the 12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade during the landing of Allied Forces at Salerno, Italy, Operation Avalanche.
The next year, now 54 years old, he retired from the Army to become Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India, exploring in detail the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization at Mohenjodaro. Soon after he returned during 1948, he was made a professor at the Institute of Archaeology, but spent part of the years 1949 and 1950 in Pakistan as Archaeological Adviser to the Government, helping to establish the Archaeological Department of Pakistan, and the National Museum of Pakistan at Karachi. He was knighted in 1952 for his services to archaeology.
In 1958 he opened the extension to the Gloucester City Museum & Art Gallery which doubled its available space.
He became known through his books and appearances on television and radio, helping to bring archaeology to a mass audience. Wheeler believed strongly that archaeology needed public support, and was assiduous in appearing on radio and television to promote it. In addition to this he collaborated with the
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, he was educated at Bradford Grammar School and the University of London where he achieved an MA degree in 1912. In 1913 he won the studentship for archaeology established jointly by the University of London and the Society of Antiquaries in memory of Augustus Wollaston Franks. Sir Arthur Evans doubled the amount of money that went with the studentship, paying out of his own pocket another £100. In late autumn 1913 he began to work for the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England).
At the beginning of World War I he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery (Territorial Force), at first remaining in London as an instructor in the University of London Officers' Training Corps. Then he was posted to several battery commands in Scotland and England until 1917. The last part of the war he fought in France, Passchendaele, the Western Front, near Bapaume, and finally marched into Germany, commanding 'A' Battery of 76th Brigade, RFA. During July 1919 he returned from the Rhineland to London and to civilian life.
The excavations at Maiden Castle, Dorset, in October 1937 were led by Mortimer Wheeler. Photograph by Major George Allen (1891–1940).
Between 1920 and 1926 he was Director of the National Museum of Wales, and from 1926 to 1944 Keeper of the London Museum. During his career he performed many major excavations within Britain, including that of Roman Verulamium (modern-day St Albans), the late Iron Age hill-fort of Maiden Castle, Dorset and Stanwick Iron Age Fortifications in Yorkshire. The excavation methods he used, for example the grid system (later developed further by Kathleen Kenyon and known as the Wheeler-Kenyon method), were significant advances in archaeological method, although later superseded. He was influenced greatly by the work of the archaeologist Lieutenant General Augustus Pitt Rivers (1827–1900). The two constant themes in his attempts to improve archaeological excavation were, first, to maintain strict stratigraphic control while excavating (for this purpose, the baulks between his trenches served to retain a record of the strata that had been dug through), and, second, to publish the excavation promptly and in a form that would tell the story of the site to the intelligent reader.
When World War II was imminent he returned from excavating a site in Normandy during August 1939 to join the Middlesex Territorial Association at Enfield. He stayed there until 1941 when his unit was transferred into the regular army forces as the 48th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, which became a part of the 42nd Mobile Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment and went with the 8th Army to Northern Africa. There he served at the Second Battle of El Alamein. During September 1943 he commanded the 12th Anti-Aircraft Brigade during the landing of Allied Forces at Salerno, Italy, Operation Avalanche.
The next year, now 54 years old, he retired from the Army to become Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India, exploring in detail the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization at Mohenjodaro. Soon after he returned during 1948, he was made a professor at the Institute of Archaeology, but spent part of the years 1949 and 1950 in Pakistan as Archaeological Adviser to the Government, helping to establish the Archaeological Department of Pakistan, and the National Museum of Pakistan at Karachi. He was knighted in 1952 for his services to archaeology.
In 1958 he opened the extension to the Gloucester City Museum & Art Gallery which doubled its available space.
He became known through his books and appearances on television and radio, helping to bring archaeology to a mass audience. Wheeler believed strongly that archaeology needed public support, and was assiduous in appearing on radio and television to promote it. In addition to this he collaborated with the
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 24, 2025
An illuminating book in the form of a long essay on the ancient civilizations of the Indus Valley and beyond, this is a much researched, well documented, nicely illustrated and referenced account of the life in the Indian peninsula from around 2500 BC to the period of around 300 AD.
The author brilliantly describes the archaeological findings of Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Lothal, etc. with full discussion on their architecture, city planning, pottery, tools, etc. Also included are studies on pre-Indus cultures like at Dabar Kot, Amri and Kot Dijli.
The author then discusses the expansion of civilization to the Saurashtra region, the Gangetic basin, NW frontier and finally comes to the flowering of the Mauryan Empire which later spread to Bengal, Orissa, Narmada region and to the South. The Graeco-Roman trade route and influences at Muziris and Arikamedu is also touched upon.
A most scientific, precise and beautiful account to read if one is interested in history, archaeology or the progress of civilization in the Indian subcontinent. The illustrations make the account even more readable.
The author brilliantly describes the archaeological findings of Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Lothal, etc. with full discussion on their architecture, city planning, pottery, tools, etc. Also included are studies on pre-Indus cultures like at Dabar Kot, Amri and Kot Dijli.
The author then discusses the expansion of civilization to the Saurashtra region, the Gangetic basin, NW frontier and finally comes to the flowering of the Mauryan Empire which later spread to Bengal, Orissa, Narmada region and to the South. The Graeco-Roman trade route and influences at Muziris and Arikamedu is also touched upon.
A most scientific, precise and beautiful account to read if one is interested in history, archaeology or the progress of civilization in the Indian subcontinent. The illustrations make the account even more readable.
March 11, 2013
Becoming friends with two Indian nationals, both of them graduate students and the wife a cultural anthropologist, got me interested in filling in the vast gaps in my knowledge of the ancient subcontinent. This book by archaeologist Wheeler was a good general introduction to the little known about the Indus Valley civilization at the time of publication.
September 24, 2025
De kans is bijzonder groot dat sinds het schrijven van dit boek en nu, er reeds heel wat meer geweten is over de sites in dit boek. Over de geschiedenis en de archeologie van de Indus-beschavingen, de steden en de mensen die er woonden.
Als introductie hoeft dit boek alleszins niet onder te doen.
Ik heb alvast weer wat bijgeleerd.
Als introductie hoeft dit boek alleszins niet onder te doen.
Ik heb alvast weer wat bijgeleerd.
Want to read
July 11, 2015kaese padu
Read
February 24, 2018Library of the Early Civilizations: Prefatory note, introduction, bibliography, list of illustrations, index.
"The largest of the world's three most ancient civilizations, the civilization of the Indus Valley is best known from two of its huge cities, Mohenjo-daro & Harappa. It was only in the 1920s that the excavations of Sir John Marshall & his colleagues opened the eyes of the world to an additional 2000 years of rich Indian prehistory. Since then many sites of all periods have been dug & work still continues."
"The largest of the world's three most ancient civilizations, the civilization of the Indus Valley is best known from two of its huge cities, Mohenjo-daro & Harappa. It was only in the 1920s that the excavations of Sir John Marshall & his colleagues opened the eyes of the world to an additional 2000 years of rich Indian prehistory. Since then many sites of all periods have been dug & work still continues."
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews