Higher education in Asian countries and the role of international ...

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these old human settlements had some traits in common: availability sufficient water throughout
the year, fertile lands and natural protection from invaders. At that time man was living in small
tribes and concept of state had no existence. According to the available archaeological evidences
first proto type state in Asia was established in 6000 BP along the Indus Valley 3 (now Pakistan)
as this region provided the most basic ingredients for the establishment of a state: population,
peace and prosperity. And by 2000- 3000 BP in all other major regions of Asia small and large
states appeared 4 afterward these states became vast empires by annexing geographical vicinities
and these empires were the home of great civilizations.
4.2.2 Major Asian civilizations
Western Asia is called the cradle of civilization because Homo sapiens, who had come from
Africa70,000 years ago, first settled in this part of the Asia. Here they developed and grew
intellectually socially, politically and economically and gave birth to Mesopotamian
civilizations. This area remained home of some of the great empires; Sumerian, Babylon,
Akkadian, Assyrian, Mittannian empires and Islamic caliphate flourished in Mesopotamia. On
the other hand Elam, Gutian, Persian and Islamic empire flourished in Persia. People of this area
were expert in construction and agriculture. They are the inventors of many things like land
cultivation, writing system, wheel transport, potter‟s wheel and milling wheel etc. Furthermore
central government system, law code, social classes system and warfare also emerged from this
area (Maisels, 1993).
In South Asia, Homo sapiens arrived around 50,000 years ago. Availability of fertile land and
sufficient water helped them to flourish and progress very rapidly. Consequently many
civilizations took birth in this region; Mehrghar civilization, Indus valley civilization (at
Ghandara, Harrapa, Moenjodaro and Lothal), Maha-janapadas kingdoms and Gupta empire,
Rajput and chola kingdom. Later on during Islamic period Khilji, Tughlaq, Lodhi and Mughal
dynasties ruled major part of south Asia 5 . The Indus valley was an advanced and rich urban
society as archeological evidences show. They introduced sophisticated and efficient drainage
system, uniform weights and measures. Even in 7500-9000 BP the people of Mehrgarh, an Indus
vally civilization, had the knowledge of proto-dentistry, which shows their mastery over science.
3 The Indus civilization: http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html Retrieved on 6th February 2010
4 Transition to Civilization: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_sapiens#cite_ref-3 Retrieved on 6th February 2010
5 http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/civil_n2/hist_6.html Retrieved on 8th February 2010