Indus Valley Civilization

 

The Indus Civilization is one of the four earliest civilizations in the world, along with the Civilizations of Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates), Egypt (Nile), and China (Hwang Ho).

Civilization forms part of the protohistory of India and belongs to the Bronze Age. The most accepted period is 2500-1700 BC (by Carbon-14 dating).

It can be divided into the following sub-parts.

• Early Phase 2900-2500 

• BC.Middle (mature) Phase 2500-2000 BC

• Later Phase 2000-1750 BC

Dayaram Sahni first discovered Harappa in 1921.

RD Banerjee discovered Mohenjodaro, or Mound of Dead in 1922.

Nomenclature of Indus Valley Civilization

• Indus Valley Civilization as it flourished along the Indus River. 

• Harappa Civilization, named by John Marshall

• Saraswati-Sindhu Civilization, as most of the sites have been found at the Hakra-Ghaggar River.

• The Indus Valley Civilization was an ancient society that lived mostly in primarily in present-day Pakistan and northwest India, on the rich floodplain of the Indus River and nearby areas.

• There is evidence that people practiced religion in this area around 5500 BCE.

• Farming settlements begins around 4000 BCE, and around 3000 BCE, the first signs of urbanisation appeared.

• By 2600 BCE, many towns and cities had been built. The Indus Valley Civilization was at its best between 2500 and 2000 BCE.

The Indus Valley Civilization's Life

• Specifically, two cities have been excavate: 
  Mohenjo-Daro on the lower Indus and Harappa which is located upstream.
• The evidence suggests that they enjoyed a sophisticate urban lifestyle, with several residences equipped with wells, bathrooms and an intricate subterranean drainage system.
• The social conditions of the residents were similar to those in Sumerian society and better than the social conditions of the Babylonians and Egyptians during that time.
• The social conditions of the locals were comparable to those in Sumerian and Superior to those of the Contemporary Babylonians and Egyptians.
• These cities demonstrate a well planned urbanisation system.
• The evidence indicates that their urban lifestyle was highly developed numerous home featured elaborate underground drainage system, along with bathrooms and wells.

There is evidence indicating a ceratin degree of interaction between the Indus Valley Civilization and the Near East. Sumerian text have documented commercial, religious, and artistic interaction with the people of the Indus Valley, who are referred to as Meluhhaites, and the Indus Valley itself is referred to as Meluhha. This tale dates to around 2000 BCE.

• The Meluhhaites, the men of the black lands, bring to Naram-Sin of Agade all kinds of exotic wares." (The Curse of Agade, Haywood).

• The Indus Civilization utilised a writing system that is still a mystery to this day; all attempts to understand it has been unsuccessful. This particular reason makes the Indus Valley Civilization one of the least well-known of the significant early civilizations of antiquity. 

• The use of this writing system has been discovered in a variety of objects, including but not limited to weights, amulets, copper tablets, carved stamp seals, and even pottery. 

• The nature of the interaction between these cities is another topic of discussion. It's unclear if they belonged to a bigger kingdom or were separate city-states. There is inconclusive evidence pointing in either direction because the Indus people's writing is still untranslated, and no sculptures of rulers or combat and military campaign scenes have been discovered.

Decline:

• By 1800 BCE, the Indus Valley Civilization began to decline.

• The act of writing began to disappear, and the utilization of regular weights and measures for the purposes of trade and taxation fell out. The connections with the Near East were interrupted, and some cities were gradually abandoned. 

• The link to the Near East was cut off, and over time, some towns were slowly abandoned. 

• It's not clear why this falls off, but the main reason is the Saraswati River drying up, which started around 1900 BCE. 

• Experts say there was a big flood in the area. Potential outcomes would have severely impacted agricultural operations, rendered the economy unsustainable, and disrupted the social structure of the cities.

Agriculture

• It was the backbone of Civilization. The Soil was fertile due to inundation in the river Indus and Flooding.

• Gabarbands and nalas enclosed by dams for storing water were a feature in parts of Balochistan. Grains were stored in granaries.

• Crops Produced wheat, barley, dats, pead, sesamum, mustard, millet, ragi, bajra, and jowar.

• They were the first to produce cotton in the world, which Greeks called Sindon, derived from Sind.

• A fragment of woven cotton cloth was found at Mohenjo-Daro.

Decline of Indus Civilization 

Views	Thinkers
External Aggression	Wheeler, Piggot,
Inundation	MR Sahani
Epidemic	KVR Kennedy
Sudden Decline	Wheeler
Climate Change	RL Stein and AN Ghosh
Flood	Marshall, SR Rao

Major Imports

Imports	From
Gold	Kolar (Karnataka), Persia (Iran)
Silver	Persia, South India
Copper	Khetri(Rajasthan) Arabia
Tin	Biha, Afghanistan
Jade	Central Asia
Steatite	Shaher-i-Sokhta
Turquoise	Iran

Important Harappan Sites

City	Archaeological
Harappa (Gateway city)	Two rows of six granaries with brick platforms, work men’s quarter, stone symbol of lingam and yoni, clay figure of Mother Goddess, wheat and barley in wooden mortar, copper scale and mirror.
Mohenjo-Daro (Mound of the Dead)	The great bath, The great granary (largest building), assembly hall, college, proto Shiva seal, clay figure of Mother Goddess.
Kalibangan (Black Bangle)	Decorated bricks, Bangle Factory, wheels of toy cart
Chanhudaro (Lancashire of India)	Inkpot, ikkas of bronze, imprint of dog’s paw on a brick.
Daimabad	Bronze image of charioteer with chariot, ox, elephant and rhinoceros
Amir	Actual remains of Rhinoceros
Alamgirpur	Impression of cloth on a trough.