Sumeria

[Samar Abbas]

On Wed, 23 Dec 1998, Krishna P Konduru wrote:
> Sumarian civilization is considered to be the first Civilization
> dating back to 3000BC from the history books.

 'Civilization' means some material remains, cities, etc.
>
> But Geeta was dating back to 5561 BC [Ref. The scientific
> Dating of Mahabharata by Dr.PV.Vartak] which is contradicting
> the history books that Sumarian is the first civilization.
>

 This is indeed evidence that the Indus Valley may have existed as far
back as, perhaps not 5000 BC, but 3000-4000 BC.

 This is based on, as Ashish Chandra has correctly pointed out, on
astronomic evidence, ie. certain observations are mentioned in that work
which could only have been made in 5000 BC.

- The same astronomical system you mention also contains other
  information, ie. WHERE those observations must have been made. The
  location is not U.P. ( Aryavarta ) but the Indus Valley. The
  conventional view is that these observations were made in the Indus
  Valley and then later adopted into Aryan texts.

- That does not imply `a civilization'; songs by certain tribes in West
  Africa are said to contain astronimical evidence indicating that those
  songs were composed in 10000 BC. Only if material remains are found, and
  are dated to 5000 BC, will people say that civilization existed at that
  place and at that time. Oral tales are not sufficient. So till now, this
  view will be considered speculative, but it is an INIDICATION that
  perhaps, the Indus Valley `Civilization' existed.

However, it is unlikely that it will be shown to be older than Sumerian
since the civilization (mostly) came from Sumeria by direct colonization.
Thus, Sumerian seals, Mediterranean skeletons and ziggurats have been
found. The technology of brick-making also came from there. Some
authorities (eg. Sir Mortimer Wheeler) have suggested that there was
actual domination from Mesopotamia.

Samar