Book Description

The Journal of the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute (U.J.) represents the multi-layered perceptions of the Roerichs, who sought new integration of cultural patterns and scientific frontiers in ever-expanding horizons."Every volume contains a contribution on archaeology as a science to reveal how nations became powerful and why they fell. They are a lesson for the governments of today who "must act upon them" (Sir Flinders Petrie, UJ.1.11). The art of excavation by Count du Buisson (UJ.1.13) links the art of archaeology with the technique of medicine: for all scientific methods are observing facts, experimentation, and manifestation. His excavations at Qatna show the guiding principles, methodology and discoveries of excavation. The second volume of the Journal carries a report of the important discoveries in Indian archaeology at Taxila, Mohenjo-daro, Stein?s explorations in Baluchistan and Waziristan, and so on. The third volume relates some outstanding discoveries in Baluchistan, Taxila, Mohenjo-daro, Sarnath, Nalanda, Paharpur, Nagarjunakonda, Pagan and Afghanistan. They have changed the historiography of India and today they bring back the thrill of discovery as we read them seventy years after their reportage in this Journal in 1933. George Roerich (1.27f) himself writes on the problems of Tibetan archaeology and the several desiderata in this terra incognita in his day. In the second volume the diary of the 1931 expedition to Western Tibet of Dr. W.N. Koelz is vivid account of the region in its prime simplicity.