A 4,300-year-old artefact from the Indus Valley Civilisation has become the centre of a heated debat involving historians, archaeologists and cultural commentators. The controversy erupted after American historian Audrey Truschke challenged the Indian government's interpretation of the famous 'Pashupati Seal', a small steatite seal discovered at Mohenjo-daro in present-day Pakistan.

The debate goes beyond archaeology. It also raises questions on India's civilisational continuity, the origins of Hindu traditions and who gets to interpret the country's ancient past.