Cultural influences of Afghanistan on the cities of Sarasvati

Afghanistan, a crossroads of cultures, languages and trade routes since ancient times, played a key role in exchanges with the cities of the Sarasvati Valley, a sacred river of the Indus civilization. Its geographical proximity and richness of resources allowed for multiple interactions, influencing the cultural, economic and technological domains of the cities located along the now-dried Sarasvati.

1. Trade routes and the exchange of goods

Afghanistan was located on one of the main routes that connected the Indus River to the great civilizations of Central Asia and the Middle East. Trade routes crossed the Hindu Kush Mountains, carrying not only precious goods but also ideas. Products such as lapis lazuli, turquoise, and other semi-precious stones from Afghanistan have been found in cities in the Sarasvati Valley, including Rakhigarhi and Kalibangan, proving an active exchange of luxury goods.

2. Artistic and cultural influences

Cultural exchanges are visible in artistic motifs and techniques. Objects found in the Sarasvati cities show similarities with Afghan art, particularly in ceramics, jewelry, and sculpture. The motifs of Indus pottery, for example, take up some Afghan symbols and designs, suggesting exchanges of artistic ideas. Indus statues also show this influence, with representations that recall Afghan styles of the time, marked by stylized and geometric forms.

3. Construction and engineering techniques

Another notable example is the technological exchange between the two regions. Sarasvati cities were well known for their advanced urban planning and irrigation systems. Some of these techniques may have been inspired by Afghan practices or developed jointly through exchanges of know-how. For example, Afghanistan possessed agricultural and hydraulic infrastructures that may have influenced water management in Sarasvati cities, where irrigation played a vital role in supporting a dense population.

4. Religious beliefs and practices

Although each region had its own spiritual traditions, commonalities appear between the religious practices of the Sarasvati Valley and those of the Afghan peoples of the time. For example, the veneration of nature and the use of entheogenic plants such as soma, which may have links with Afghan plants, show reciprocal spiritual influences. Some religious symbols and ritual objects of the Sarasvati, such as seals or amulets, seem to share characteristics with those found in Afghanistan, suggesting a common or exchanged spiritual dimension.

5. The transmission of scientific and medical knowledge

Ancient Afghanistan had a wide variety of medicinal plants and natural resources, known for their benefits. The healers and sages of Sarasvati could have exchanged with Afghan specialists, enriching their knowledge of medicine and the use of plants. Ancient texts from India mention plants and remedies that originated in the Afghan mountains, and exchanges between healers from the two regions could have contributed to a common knowledge.

Conclusion

The cultural influences of Afghanistan on the cities of Sarasvati are visible on several levels: artistic, technological, commercial, spiritual and medical. This interaction allowed the two regions to enrich each other and develop shared traditions and knowledge. Crossing the mountains and the plains, ideas and practices shaped a dynamic region where Afghanistan contributed to the evolution of the Indus and Sarasvati civilizations.