Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley Civilization was the first major civilization in South Asia,  which spread across a vast area of land in present-day India and Pakistan (around 12 lakh sq.km). The time period of mature Indus Valley Civilization is estimated between BC. 2700- BC.1900 ie. for 800 years. But early Indus Valley Civilization had existed even before BC.2700. Features of Indus Valley Civilization BC. 2700- BC.1900 ie for 800 years. On the valleys of river Indus. Also known as Harappan Civilization. Beginning of city life. Harappan Sites discovered by – Dayaram Sahni (1921) – Montgomery district, Punjab, Pakistan. Mohanjodaro discovered by – R. D. Banerji – Larkana district, Sind, Pakistan. The city was divided into Citadel(west) and Lower Town(east). Red pottery painted with designs in black. Stone weights, seals, special beads, copper tools, long stone blades etc. Copper, bronze, silver, gold present. Artificially produced – Faience. Specialists for handicrafts. Import of raw materials. Plough was used. Bodies were buried in wooden coffins, but during the later stages ‘H symmetry culture’ evolved where bodies were buried in painted burial urns. Sugar cane not cultivated, horse, iron not used. Indus Valley Sites and Specialties HARAPPA Seals out of stones Citadel outside on banks of river Ravi MOHENJODARO Great Bath, Great Granary, Dancing Girl, Man with Beard, Cotton, Assembly hall The term means ” Mount of the dead” On the bank of river Indus Believed to have been destructed by flood or invasion(Destruction was not gradual). CHANHUDARO Bank of Indus river. – discovered by Gopal Majumdar and Mackey (1931) Pre-Harappan culture – Jhangar Culture and Jhukar Culture Only cite without citadel. KALIBANGAN At Rajasthan on the banks of river Ghaggar, discovered by A.Ghosh (1953) Fire Altars Bones of camel Evidence of furrows Horse remains ( even though Indus valley people didn’t  use horses). Known as third capital of the Indus Empire. LOTHAL At Gujarat near Bhogava river, discovered by S.R. Rao (1957) Fire Altars Beside the tributary of Sabarmati Storehouse Dockyard and earliest port double burial Rice husk House had front entrance (exception). ROPAR Punjab, on the banks of river Sutlej. Discovered by Y.D Sharma (1955) Dog buried with humans. BANAWALI Haryana On banks of lost river Saraswathi Barley Cultivation. DHOLAVIRA Biggest site in India, until the discovery of Rakhigarhi. Located in Khadir Beyt, Rann of Kutch, Gujarat. Discovered by J.P Joshi/Rabindra Singh (1990) 3 parts + large open area for ceremonies Large letters of the Harappan script (signboards). The religion of Indus Valley People Pashupathi Mahadev (Proto Siva) Mother goddess Nature/ Animal worship Unicorn, Dove, Peepal Tree, Fire Amulets Idol worship was practised ( not a feature of Aryans) Did not construct temples. The similarity to Hindu religious practises. (Hinduism in its present form originated later) No Caste system. Indus Valley Society and Culture The systematic method of weights and measures ( 16 and its multiples). Pictographic Script, Boustrophedon script – Deciphering efforts by I. Mahadevan Equal status to men and women Economic Inequality, not an egalitarian society Textiles – Spinning and weaving 3 types – burial, cremation and post-cremation were there, though burial was common. Majority of people Proto-Australoids and Mediterranean (Dravidians), though Mongoloids, Nordics etc were present in the city culture.  Reasons for Decline of Indus Valley Civilization Though there are various theories, the exact reason is still unknown. As per a recent study by IIT Kharagpur and Archaeological Survey of India, a weaker monsoon might have been the cause of the decline of Indus Valley Civilization. Environmental changes, coupled with a loss of power of rulers (central administration) of Indus valley to sustain the city life might be the cause (Fariservis Theory). There might be a resource shortage to sustain the population, and then people moved towards south India. Another theory by Dr Gwen Robbins Schug states that inter-personal violence, infectious diseases and climate change had played a major role in the demise of the Indus Valley Civilization. Indus Valley Civilization Notes The Indus Valley Civilization was established around 3300 BC. It flourished between 2700 BC and 1900 BC (Mature Indus Valley Civilization). It started declining around 1900 BC and disappeared around 1400 BC. This is also called Harappan Civilization after the first city to be excavated, Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan). Pre-Harappan civilization has been found at Mehrgarh, Pakistan which shows the first evidence of cotton cultivation. Geographically, this civilization covered Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Western Uttar Pradesh. It extended from Sutkagengor (in Baluchistan) in the West to Alamgirpur (Western UP) in the East; and from Mandu (Jammu) in the North to Daimabad (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) in the South. Some Indus Valley sites have also been found in as far away as Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Indus Valley Civilization Important Sites In India: Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Lothal, Dholavira, Rangpur, Surkotda (Gujarat), Banawali (Haryana), Ropar (Punjab). In Pakistan: Harappa (on river Ravi), Mohenjodaro (on Indus River in Sindh), Chanhudaro (in Sindh). The civilization was first discovered during an excavation campaign under Sir John Hubert Marshall in 1921–22 at Harappa following the discovery of seals by J Fleet. Harappan ruins were discovered by Marshall, Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni and Madho Sarup Vats. Mohenjodaro ruins were excavated for the first time by R.D. Banerjee, E. J. H. MacKay and Marshall. The Indus Valley cities show a level of sophistication and advancement not seen in other contemporary civilizations. Most cities had similar patterns. There were two parts: a citadel and the lower town. Most cities had a Great Bath. There were also granaries, 2-storied houses made of burnt bricks, closed drainage lines, excellent stormwater, and wastewater management system, weights for measurements, toys, pots, etc. A large number of seals have been discovered. Agriculture was the most important occupation. The first civilization to cultivate cotton. Animals were domesticated like sheep, goats, and pigs. Crops were wheat, barley, cotton, ragi, dates, and peas. Trade was conducted with the Sumerians. Metal products were produced including those with copper, bronze, tin, and lead. Gold and silver were also known. Iron was not known to them. No structures like temples or palaces have been found. The people worshipped male and female deities. A seal which was named ‘Pashupati Seal’ has been excavated and it shows an image of a three-eyed figure. Marshall believed this to be an early form of Lord Shiva. Excellent pieces of red pottery designed in black have been excavated. Faience was used to make beads, bangles, earrings, and vessels. Civilization also was advanced in making artworks. A statuette named ‘Dancing Girl’ has been found from Mohenjodaro and is believed to be 4000 years old. A figure of a bearded Priest-King has also been found from Mohenjodaro. Lothal was a dockyard. Disposal of the dead was by burial in wooden coffins. Later on, in the H Symmetry culture, bodies were cremated in urns. The Indus Valley script has not yet been deciphered. Decline of Indus Valley Civilization Causes of the decline of this civilization have not been firmly established. Archaeologists now believe that the civilization did not come to an abrupt end but gradually declined. People moved eastwards and cities were abandoned. Writing and trade declined. Mortimer Wheeler suggested that the Aryan invasion led to the decline of the Indus Valley. This theory has now been debunked. Robert Raikes suggests that tectonic movements and floods caused the decline. Lambrick suggests a change in the course of the river Indus caused its decline. Other causes cited include a drying up of the rivers, deforestation, and destruction of the green cover. It is possible that some cities were destroyed by floods but not all. It is now accepted that several factors could have led to the decline of the Indus Valley civilization. New cities emerged only about 1400 years later.