Indus Valley Civilization
Indus Valley Civilization Overview:
- Since Daya Ram Sahni oversaw the first site to be excavated in Harappa in 1921, the Indus Valley Civilization is frequently referred to as the Harappan Civilization.
- The Suktagendor region of Baluchistan, Alamgirpur in the east, Daimabad in the south, and Manda in Jammu and Kashmir in the north are claimed to have the highest rates of IVC.
- The largest of the four modern urban civilizations, which also include the Chinese, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian or Sumerian civilizations, is the Indus Valley Civilization.
- The Egyptian Civilization thrived on the banks of the Nile, the Mesopotamian Civilization thrived on the banks of the Tigris or Euphrates River, and the Chinese Civilization thrived on the banks of the Hwang Ho River, whereas IVC is situated on the banks of the Indus River.
- It is frequently referred to as the Bronze Epoch Civilization because of its beginnings in the Bronze/Chalcolithic epoch.
- In the Indus Valley, where ancient city ruins had been discovered in the 1920s, excavations were conducted. Harappa was the first city to be discovered.
- The Indus Valley Civilization was found in 1924, according to Department of Archaeology Director John Marshall.
Indus Valley Civilization characteristics:
- 800 years, approximately from 2700 to 1900 BC, roughly.
- on the Indus River’s valleys.
- the Harappan Civilization, for instance.
- the beginning of city life.
- The Harappan Sites were found by Dayaram Sahni in the Montgomery district of Pakistan’s Punjab province in 1921.
- R made the discovery of Mohanjodaro. D. Banerji is a native of Pakistan’s Sind province, specifically of the Larkana area.
- In the city, there were two distinct neighbourhoods: Lower Town and Citadel (west) (east).
- pottery in the colour red with black designs painted on them.
- Examples include seals, long stone knives, unique beads, and stone weights.
- Copper, bronze, silver, and gold are all easily accessible metals.
- Only artificial means can be used to create faience.
- specialists in their area.
Planning for urbanisation and towns
- The most significant and distinctive aspect of the Harappan Civilization is town layout. It was hence referred to as an urban civilisation.
- The lower town and the citadel were the two sections of the town. Commoners stayed in the lower town, while the upper class lived in the citadels.
- The drainage system is yet another vital part of IVC. The drains had stone coverings and were constructed from burned bricks.
- The only town without a fortress was Chanhudaro.
Farming and the economy
- They produced a lot of wheat and barley. In addition to other crops, they also cultivated pulses, grains, cotton, dates, melons, peas, sesame, and mustard.
- For rice, there is no hard proof.
- Since farmers made up the vast majority of its population, the Harappan civilization was an agro-commercial one.
- The Harappans were the first people to cultivate cotton.
- The seal is their cherished artistic output. Statite is used to create square-shaped seals.
- The bull is the animal that is featured the most.
- Making bracelets and shell ornaments was another hobby.
- There was a significant amount of land-and-sea trade during the Indus Valley Civilization’s apex.
- Near Lothal, a dockyard from the longest-lasting era of the Harappan Civilization was discovered.
Harappan religion
- In Mohenjo-daro, a Pashupati seal was discovered that featured an image of a Yogi.
- The buffalo, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, and deer are all gathered around the yogi on the seal.
- There have been discovered phallic worship symbols.
- Mother Goddess was venerated by the Harappans. A ceramic figurine discovered in Harappa serves as the proof.
- It has been discovered The Great Bath, a Mohenjodaro structure. It was made with ceremonial bathing in mind.
- This civilization makes no mention of temples.
- In the earth, there were many amulets discovered.
Locations in the Indus Valley and their specialties:
HARAPPA:
- stones used as seals.
- On the banks of the Ravi river stands a citadel.
MOHENJODARO:
- Great Bath, Great Granary, Dancing Girl, Bearded Man, Cotton, and Assembly Hall
- Its meaning is “Mount of the Dead.”
- at the Indus River’s bank.
- believed to have been destroyed by an invasion or a flood (Destruction was not gradual).
CHANHUDARO:
- the bank of the Indus River. – found by Mackey and Gopal Majumdar (1931).
- Jhangar and Jhukar are pre-Harappan cultures.
- Citadel is the only thing left.
KALIBANGAN:
- Ghosh found the river Ghaggar in Rajasthan (1953).
- flaming altars
- Camels’ bones.
- evidence of furrows
- (Despite not using horses, people of the Indus Valley did.)
- That served as the Indus Empire’s third capital.
LOTHAL:
- Gujarat’s S.R. Bhogava River had been identified. Rao (1957)
- flaming altars
- There is no mention of the Sabarmati tributary.
- early port and docking.
- one or more cemeteries
- the rice bran
- The home was gated (exception).
