Chapter 6
When I was reading chapter 6, the section about Niger Valley civilization caught my attention. As the author states that “Among the most distinctive features of the Niger Valley civilization was the apparent absence of a corresponding state structure.” From this statement, we can indicate that they are a civilization that doesn't have a larger government system. Just like the author says that “They were cities without citadels, complex urban centers that apparently operated without the coercive authority os a state, for archeologists have found in their remains few signs of despotic power, widespread warfare, or deep social inequalities.” (271)
This description sounds very familiar, it reminds me of the Indus Valley civilization. For the Indu Valley civilization, there is also very “little archeological evidence of centralized state structures has been found.” (271) We can kind of prove this point of view from their artwork such as the “dancing girl” from the Indus Valley civilization and the “Terra-cotta couples” from the Niger Valley civilization. From the “ dancing girl” this statue, we can tell that women appeared as a much powerful figure in the Indus Valley societies. So does the Niger Valley civilization. Unlike many other statues we`ve seen before, the statue “Terra-cotta couples” from the Niger Valley civilization is made of two figures, both man and woman. The woman figure is kneeling down while the man figure is sitting behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. It may reflect an equal role between men and women in their society. It's kind of similar to the perspectives what we have nowadays that men and women are independent individuals but they work together with different roles in order to keep the balance of the world.
It's kind of hard to imagine, in a period of time when cities of Egypt, China and Roman Empire are growing stronger via their larger imperial system, how a civilization like Niger Valley can still retain their own way of living. There is no large invasion being mentioned in the book like the fate of Indus Valley people have been through. Instead, society has slowly changed through migration.
This description sounds very familiar, it reminds me of the Indus Valley civilization. For the Indu Valley civilization, there is also very “little archeological evidence of centralized state structures has been found.” (271) We can kind of prove this point of view from their artwork such as the “dancing girl” from the Indus Valley civilization and the “Terra-cotta couples” from the Niger Valley civilization. From the “ dancing girl” this statue, we can tell that women appeared as a much powerful figure in the Indus Valley societies. So does the Niger Valley civilization. Unlike many other statues we`ve seen before, the statue “Terra-cotta couples” from the Niger Valley civilization is made of two figures, both man and woman. The woman figure is kneeling down while the man figure is sitting behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. It may reflect an equal role between men and women in their society. It's kind of similar to the perspectives what we have nowadays that men and women are independent individuals but they work together with different roles in order to keep the balance of the world.
It's kind of hard to imagine, in a period of time when cities of Egypt, China and Roman Empire are growing stronger via their larger imperial system, how a civilization like Niger Valley can still retain their own way of living. There is no large invasion being mentioned in the book like the fate of Indus Valley people have been through. Instead, society has slowly changed through migration.
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