Indus Valley Civilization - IT & Software PDF Download

Introduction

• The history of India begins with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), also known as Harappan Civilization.
• It flourished around 2,500 BC, in the western part of South Asia, in contemporary Pakistan and Western India.
• The Indus Valley was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China.
• In 1920s, the Archaeological Department of India carried out excavations in the Indus valley wherein the ruins of the two old cities, viz. Mohenjodaro and Harappa were unearthed.
• In 1924, John Marshall, Director-General of the ASI, announced the discovery of a new civilisation in the Indus valley to the world.

Phases of IVC

• Three phases of IVC are:
  • the Early Harappan Phase from 3300 to 2600 BCE,
  • the Mature Harappan Phase from 2600 to 1900 BCE, and
  • the Late Harappan Phase from 1900 to 1300 BCE.
• The Early Harappan Phase is related to the Hakra Phase, identified in the Ghaggar-Hakra River Valley.
• The earliest examples of the Indus script date back to 3000 BC.
• This phase stands characterized by centralized authority and an increasingly urban quality of life.
• Trade networks had been established and there are also evidences of the cultivation of crops. Peas, sesame seeds, dates, cotton, etc, were grown during that time.
• Kot Diji represents the phase leading up to Mature Harappan Phase.
• By 2600 BC, the Indus Valley Civilization had entered into a mature stage.
• The early Harappan communities were turning into large urban centers, like Harappa and Mohenjodaro in Pakistan and Lothal in India.

• The signs of a gradual decline of the Indus River Valley Civilization are believed to have started around 1800 BC and by 1700 BC, most of the cities were abandoned.
• However, one can see the various elements of the Ancient Indus Valley Civilization in later cultures.
• Archaeological data indicates the persistence of the Late Harappan culture till 1000-900 BC.

Town Planning and Structures

• The Harappan culture was distinguished by its system of town planning.
• Harappa and Mohenjodaro each had its own citadel or acropolis, which was possibly occupied by members of the ruling class.
• Below the citadel in each city lay a lower town containing brick houses, which were inhabited by the common people.
• The remarkable thing about the arrangement of the houses in the cities is that they followed the grid system.
• Granaries constituted an important part of the Harappan cities.
• The use of burnt bricks in the Harappan cities is remarkable, because in the contemporary buildings of Egypt mainly dried bricks were used.
• The drainage system of Mohenjodaro was very impressive.
• In almost all cities every big or small house had its own courtyard and bathroom.
• In Kalibangan many houses had their wells.
• At sites such as Dholavira and Lothal (Gujarat), the entire settlement was fortified, and sections within the town were also separated by walls.