Soldier: Created Shortugai

2023-09-08T09:11:30Z

Created Shortugai

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{{Short description|Trading colony of the Indus Valley Civilization established around 2000 BC}}
{{Infobox ancient site
| name = Shortugai
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| map_type = Afghanistan #South Asia
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| coordinates = {{coord|37|19|30|N|69|31|30|E|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Takhar Province]], [[Afghanistan]]
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| type = Settlement
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| area = Approximately {{convert|4|ha|abbr=on}}
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| cultures = [[Indus Valley civilisation]]
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[[File:Shorugai.jpg|thumb|Part of the excavations]]

'''Shortugai''' (Shortughai), in [[Darqad District]] of northern [[Afghanistan]], was a trading colony of the [[Indus Valley civilization]] (or Harappan Civilization) established around 2000 BC on the [[Oxus]] river (Amu Darya) near the [[lapis lazuli]] mines.<ref>{{cite book | last = Kenoyer | first = Jonathan Mark | authorlink = Jonathan Mark Kenoyer | title = Ancient cities of the Indus Valley Civilization | year = 1998 | publisher = Oxford University Press | isbn = 0-19-577940-1 | quote =Another source of gold was along the Oxus river valley in northern Afghanistan where a trading colony of the Indus cities has been discovered at Shortughai. Situated far from the Indus Valley itself, this settlement may have been established to obtain gold, copper, tin and lapis lazuli, as well as other exotic goods from Central Asia. | page = 96}}</ref><ref>{{Cite document | last1=Bowersox | first1=Gary W. | author-link= | last2=Chamberlin | first2=Bonita E. Ph. D. | author2-link= | year=1995 | title=Gemstones of Afghanistan | location=Tucson, AZ | publisher=Geoscience Press | pages=52 }}. "During the height of the Indus valley civilization about 2000 B.C., the Harappan colony of Shortugai was established near the lapis mines."</ref> It is considered to be the northernmost settlement of the Indus Valley Civilization.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xYelDQAAQBAJ&q=shortugai+northernmost&pg=PT23|title=A History of India|last1=Kulke|first1=Hermann|last2=Rothermund|first2=Dietmar|date=2016-05-27|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781317242123|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BEXjAAAAMAAJ&q=shortugai+northernmost|title=Oriens antiquus|date=1986|publisher=Centro per le antichità e la storia dell'arte del Vicino Oriente.|language=en}}</ref> According to Bernard Sergent, "not one of the standard characteristics of the Harappan cultural complex is missing from it".<ref>Bernard Sergent. Genèse de l'Inde, quoted by Elst 1999</ref>

==Trading post==

The IVC site at Shortugai was a trading post of Harappan times and it seems to be connected with lapis lazuli mines located in the surrounding area.<ref name=singh>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Upinder|title=A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India : from the Stone Age to the 12th century|year=2008|publisher=Pearson Education|location=New Delhi|isbn=9788131711200|pages=169|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H3lUIIYxWkEC&q=shortughai}}</ref> It also might have connections with tin trade (found at Afghanistan) and camel trade,<ref name=singh/> along with other Afghan valuables.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Ancient Mesopotamia: New Perspectives|last=McIntosh|first=Jane|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2005|isbn=1576079651|location=Santa Barbara, CA|pages=135}}</ref> There are archaeologists who raise the issue of the absence of coinage and of an agreed decipherment despite the extensive trade networks controlled and operated by the settlement.<ref name=":0" />

==Excavation site ==

Excavation site consists of two hills called ''"Site A"'' and ''"Site B"'' by the excavators. One of these site was the ancient IVC town, the other one was the citadel. Each of these is about 2 hectares large.

===Artifact findings===

The Shortugai site was discovered in 1976 and, since then, excavators were able to find carnelian and lapis lazuli beads, bronze objects, [[terracotta]] figurines.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=The Indus: Lost Civilizations|last=Robinson|first=Andrew|publisher=Reaktion Books|year=2015|isbn=9781780235028|location=London|pages=92}}</ref> Other typical finds of the Indus Valley Civilization include one seal with a short inscription<ref>Francfort: ''Fouilles de Shortughai'', pl. 75, no. 7</ref> and a rhinoceros motif,<ref name=":0" /> clay models of cattle with carts<ref>Francfort: ''Fouilles de Shortughai'', pls. 81-82</ref> and painted pottery.<ref>Francfort: ''Fouilles de Shortughai'', pls. 59-61</ref> Pottery with Harappan design, jars, beakers, bronze objects, gold pieces, lapis lazuli beads, other types of beads, drill heads, shell bangles etc. are other findings.<ref name=singh/> Square seals with animal motifs and script confirms this as a site belonging to Indus Valley Civilisation (not just having contact with IVC).<ref name=singh/>
Bricks had typical Harappan measurements.

===Dryland farming===

A ploughed field with flax seeds in this site indicate dry land farming and irrigation canals dug to bring water from [[Kokcha]] (25 km distance) also indicate efforts put in agriculture.<ref name =singh/> There are several theories that explain the existence of canal irrigation system in the area. The first involves the suggestion that the Indus settlers brought the technology with them.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=The Ancient Indus Valley: New Perspectives|last=McIntosh|first=Jane|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2008|isbn=9781576079072|location=Santa Barbara, CA|pages=115}}</ref> Another theory proposes that the canal was part of the influence of the [[Namazga-Tepe|Namazga culture]], which flourished in the adjacent southern [[Turkmenistan|Turkmenia]].<ref name=":1" />

==See also==
* [[List of Indus Valley Civilisation sites]]
* [[List of archaeological sites by country]]
* [[List of archaeological sites by continent and age]]
* [[World Heritage Sites by country]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
{{commons category}}
*[[Henri-Paul Francfort]]: ''Fouilles de Shortughai, Recherches sur L'Asie Centrale Protohistorique Paris'': Diffusion de Boccard, 1989
{{Indus Valley Civilization}}

[[Category:Indus Valley civilisation sites]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Afghanistan]]

Shortugai - Revision history

Soldier: Created Shortugai