Loads of fresh evidence is being unearthed from either side of the Indo-Pak border. Evidence that could put the Indus valley civilisation at par with its other glamorous ancient cousins — Egypt and Mesopotamia. From being considered the ‘boring’ cousin of these rich civilisations, Indus is all set to give them competition. However, in putting together a fresh perspective for these old world ruins, archaeologists are facing a lot of challenges. Political discord between India and Pakistan is affecting excavation and archaeological exploration of vast stretches of land that might hold many clues to the fascinating past of this subcontinent.

To quote Andrew Lawler from a recent article (Boring No More, a Trade-Savvy Indus Emerges, Science 320, 1276 – 1281 (2008) DOI: 10.1126/science.320.5881.1276): “Many foreign archaeologists steer clear of Pakistan because of political instability, while India’s government—scarred by colonialism—often discourages researchers from collaborating with European or American teams. A virtual Cold War between the two countries leaves scientists and sites on one side nearly inaccessible to the other. And although Indus sites are finally receiving extensive attention, many unexcavated mounds face destruction from a lethal combination of expanding agriculture, intensive looting, and unregulated urban development.”

A small group of archaeologists from Pakistan, India, America, Europe, and Japan studies the Indus. This group also suffers from poor peer-bonding. As a result, they work in spates and it is difficult to find too many published papers in either the subcontinent’s journals or elsewhere.

Isn’t it in the interest of the subcontinet, its science and history that the governments come together to allow full fledged digging on the border, even if it means archaeologists will have to work under the vigilant eyes of armed forces? Isn’t there a way out to give Indus its pride of place in the league of ancient civilisations?