What do you know about Indus Valley Civilization?
Indus civilization is one of the four earliest civilizations of the world along with the civilizations of Mesopotami(Tigris and Euphrates), Egypt(Nile) and China(Hwang Ho). The civilisation forms part of the proto-history of India and belongs to the Bronze Age. In its mature form, the civilisation lasted between 2600-1900 BC.
It can be divided into following sub parts
> Early Phase 3500-2600 BC
>Middle (mature) Phase 2600-1900 BC
> Later Phase 1900-1400 BC
Dayaram Sahani first discovered Harappa in 1921. RD Banerjee discovered Mohenjodaro or Mound of The Dead 1922.
Nomenclature of Indus valley Civilisation
Indus Valley Civilization coined by John Marshal as it flourished along the Indus River. Harappan civilization after the first discovery site, Harappa. Saraswati-Sindhu Civilization as most of the sites have been along the Indus-Saraswati river.
Geographical Spread
The civilization covered parts of Sind, baluchistan, Afghanistan, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Maharashtra. Mundigak and Shortughai are the two sites located in Afghanistan. Western most site Sutkagendor on Makran coast. Easternmost site Alamgirpur in Uttar Pradesh. Northernmost site Manda in Jammu (River Chenab). Southernmost site Daimabad in Maharashtra (River Pravara) are major sites.
Town Planning
A unique feature was the grid system i.e. streets cutting across one another at right angles, dividing the town into large rectangular blocks. The town were divided into two parts: Upper part or Citadel and Lower part. The fortified Citadel on the western side housed public buildings and members of the ruling class. Below the citadel on the eastern side, lay the Lower town inhabited by the common people.
The Underground Drainage System connected all houses to the street drains made up of mortar, lime and gypsum. They were covered with either brick or stone slabs and equipped with a “Manhole”. This showed the developed sense of health and sanitization.
The Great Bath (Mohenjodaro). It was used for religious bathing. Steps at either end which lead to the surface. There were changing rooms alongside.
The Granaries (Harappa) six granaries in a row were found in the citadel at Harappa.
Houses were made up of burnt bricks. They were often two or one storeyed, with a square courtyard. They had tiled bathrooms.
Lamp Posts were erected at regular intervals. It indicates the existence of street lighting.
Agriculture
Agriculture was the backbone of civilization. The soil was fertile due to inundation in the river Indus and flooding. They used Wooden Ploughshare (World’s first ploughed field at Kalibangan) and Stone Sickles for harvesting. Iron was not know to them. Garbands or Nalas enclosed by dams for storing water were a feature in parts of Baluchistan. Canal irrigation was absent.
Crops produced were wheat, barley, dates, peas, sesamum, mustard, millet, ragi, bajra and jowar. At Lothal and Rangpur, rice husks were found. Sugarcane was not known to Indus people.
They were the first to produce cotton in the world, which Greek called as Sindom.
Trade
Agriculture, Industry and forest produced the basis for internal and external trade. The Trade was based on Barter System. Coins were not evident. Bullock carts and Boats were used for transportation. Weights and measures were made up of limestone, steatite etc. generally in cubical shape. They were in multiple of sixteen. Decimal system was known to them. Several sticks inscribed with measure marks have been discovered. It indicates that the linear system of measurement was in use. Foriegn trade flourished with Mesopotamia or Sumeria (Iraq), Central Asia, Persia, Afghanistan and Bahrain . Sumeraian text refers to trade with Meluha (Indus). Dilmun Bahrain and Makan (makran Coast) were two intermediate Stations. Susa and ur were mesopotamian sites where harappan seals were found . Lothal (artificial dockyard), Surkotada , Suktagendor, Allahaino, Balakot, Dholavira, Daimabad were coastal towns of the civilisation. Major Exports Were agricultural products, cotton goods , terracotta figurines, Pottery , steatite beads (from Chanduharo) , Conch - Shell ( from lothal ) , ivory products , copper etc.
Major Imports
Gold - Kolar (Karnataka), Afghanistan, Persia (iran)
Silver - Afghanistan, Persia (Iran), South India
Copper - Khetri (Rajasthan), Baluchistan
Tin - Afghanistan, Central Asia
Lapis Lazuli & Sapphire - Badak Shan (Afghanistan)
Art & Craft
Harappans used tools made of stone made of stone and bronze. Bronze was made by mixing copper (from Kheri) with Tin. Beads and jewellery of gold, silver and precious stone were made. Cotton Fabrics were used in summer and wollen in winter. Pottery both plain (red) and painted (red and black) pottery was made. Pots were decorated with human figures, plants, animal and geometrical patterns and ochre was painted over it. Seals were made of steatite. Pictures of one horned buffalo, tiger, rhinoceros, goat and elephant are found on most of the seals.
Decline of Civilization
The Harappan culture flourished till all about 1900 B.C, then it began to decline . There is no unanimity among historians, regarding the exact reason for the decline of this urban civilization.
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