HYDERABAD: A project has formally been signed on Tuesday between University of Sindh and Research Centre Indian Ocean (RIO), Oman and German Research Centre Mohenjo-Daro (GRCM), to initiate International Centre for Indus Valley Integrated Studies (CIVIS) at University of Sindh in Jamshoro
Few months back, a decision was made to establish the Centre at the University. The idea of establishment of International Centre was inspired by the fact that Sindh possesses remarkable social assets those require to be preserved, promoted and projected to the world community.
A group of scientists had given recommendations for establishment of CIVIS that served as an impetus behind the agreement at SU.
The centre would be the first in its interdisciplinary approach bringing together renowned scientists from different fields belonging to national/ international organizations to develop solutions for the benefit of Pakistan and global scientific community. It is expected that this research may help in discovering many Indus Valley sites that are covered by alluvium.
The establishment of the interdisciplinary research centre would optimize cooperation and understanding among people of the region and help them find solutions to their common complex issues in the context of global heritage, science, humanities and human resource. The centre will mainly focus on culture, archaeology, anthropology, architecture, geology, history and Sindhology.
Through a comprehensive networking with international institutions, governments, groups and individuals, the centre will also establish Indus Valley Data Resource Unit (IVDRU) for display of important information comprising artifacts, reports, research papers, books and digital archives. Concerning this, the collaborating partner and Director, GRCM and RIO Prof. Michael Jansen has committed to donate relevant data material to the unit, once it gets functional and infrastructure is built.
The Centre will also provide a common platform for experts that would enhance relationship between morpho-hydro-dynamics of Indus River and settlement behavior in Indus Valley.
The Centre would aim at improving knowledge for better understanding, preservation and future sustainability of various phenomena occurring in greater Indus Valley.
After signing the approval, renowned German geo-architect, anthropologist and archaeologist Prof. Michael Jansen delivered talk on “The Case Study of Mohenjo-Daro: The Largest Bronze Age City of the World” at Shaikh Ayaz Auditorium of Arts Faculty building at the varsity.
The talk session was presided over by VC-SU Prof. Dr. Fateh Muhammad Burfat, who in his presidential remarks, first welcomed Prof. Jansen and said that Sindh was second home to the German professor as he had first come to Sindh in 1970s and had stayed for several years at Mohenjo-Daro site to conduct research and document data related to complex Indus Valley civilization phenomena. Dr.Burfat said that there was a dire need to connect missing dots in past, present and future of the Indus Valley civilization. He said that CIVIS was being established to bridge those gaps through facilitating academic and research partnerships independently and with relevant world stakeholders.
“Five Ps are the most essential ingredients of understanding our role in the fast changing world. Five Ps are People (reduction of poverty), Planet (improving environment), Partnerships (collaborations with world community), Prosperity (a better world) and Peace (a happier world)”, he advocated.
In his talk, Prof. Jansen maintained that only ten percent of the ruins at Mohenjo-Daro has so far been excavated; whereas, ninety percent of the site still needed to be explore. He said that Indus Valley civilization bore striking resemblance with Egyptian, Harrapan and Mesopotamian civilizations; it rather excelled the other three in terms of water supply and water sewage systems as Mohenjo-Daro was the only city of its times to have water wells.
“Mohenjo-Daro was the most modern, well-planned, hygienic and developed cities of its age. Moreover, recent findings suggest connection between Indus Valley and Oman civilization”, he opined.
Prof. Jansen said that Indus Valley civilization also possessed similarities with Mesopotamian civilization as both projected seals bearing female figurines symbolizing fertility and prosperity.
“I am convinced that understanding, conserving and further investigating Indus Valley civilization is not only a national but an international concern; and that the need for establishment and functionality of International Centre for Indus Valley Integrated Studies (CIVIS) is fully justified”, Prof. Jansen stressed.
Earlier, Focal Person, SU Thatta Campus Prof. Dr. Sarfaraz Hussain Solangi welcomed the guests and introduced the speakers to the audience. The lecture was attended by hundreds of SU students and faculty and was followed by animated question-answer session and very well-attended plantation ceremony during which, as per SU tradition, the guest speaker was requested to plant a sapling in his name as a souvenir of his visit and presence at the campus.
Published in Daily Times, March 28th 2018.
