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ClearIAS » Indian History Notes » Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley Civilization

Last updated on February 3, 2020 by Alex Andrews George

Indus Valley Civilization: In the imagination of an artist

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. Read more on races of India.

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.

Other theories:

  • Aryan Invasion: Motimer Wheeler
  • Tectonic Movements/ Flood – Robert Raikes
  • Change of course of river Indus – Lambrick.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 76gyan says

    July 24, 2013 at 2:57 pm

    Sir how to make notes from newspaper the hindu.

    Reply
    • Anjali says

      October 11, 2020 at 8:11 pm

      I hope so aap sab jitna time lagate ho comments karne me utna laga liya karo padhne me aapko pata bhi hai kitni mehnat lagti hai ye sab likhne me banane me aap logo to bas comment karna aata. Hai atleast wo apke liye itna kuch rahe hai aur wo bhi free me so apko appreciate karna chahiye to aap sab comments paas karte ho faltu ke

  2. amol says

    January 13, 2014 at 6:46 pm

    First copy an important headlines of both international and national issues on every topics;science,political event,sport,polity,geographic,disaster,nominations,policies made by international institutions,reforms,etc…
    And add some more points on it through internet….

    Reply
  3. varun says

    October 15, 2014 at 4:06 pm

    Excellent sir , nothing missed out , brilliant..

    Reply
    • Manju chopra says

      February 15, 2019 at 3:11 pm

      Yr etna sara phone me se kese learn kre

  4. ANSHU ANAND says

    September 1, 2015 at 12:42 am

    Very useful indeed.

    Reply
  5. sriteja says

    October 11, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    Nce stuff Sir

    Reply
  6. Kamal Thakur says

    May 25, 2016 at 9:33 pm

    Are you sure about the Age period of Indus Civilization? Isn’t it from 2500BC – 1500BC? Can you give me exact detail about this?

    Reply
  7. shubham says

    June 7, 2016 at 6:41 am

    As I have studied
    Existence of harappa : 2500BC-1800BC
    nd maturity phase :2200-2000BC
    BOOK : RS SHARMA

    Reply
    • Aastha Shrivastava says

      April 10, 2019 at 1:34 pm

      Indus valley civilization – 2900BC to 1700BC
      -early harappan phase 2900BC to 2500BC
      -middle harappan phase 2500BC to 2000BC
      -late harappan phase 2000BC to 1700BC

  8. gaurav anand says

    July 18, 2016 at 5:45 pm

    By latest carbon dating, it has been bet 2500-1700 b.c.

    Reply
  9. ganesh says

    November 3, 2016 at 9:11 am

    Sir plz provide ancient medieval modern history notes topic wise plz for assistant Commandant exam

    Reply
  10. shashank shekhar says

    November 26, 2016 at 4:11 pm

    Although,which was the main cause of destruction of indus valey civilization ? If the cause was flood then how is it possible that the bank of river sindhu is far from the indus valey cities ?

    Reply
  11. Shobhit keshari says

    December 25, 2016 at 8:59 pm

    Sir how can i start preparation for upsc

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      December 25, 2016 at 9:53 pm

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  12. ASHUTOSH says

    January 29, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    this study material is like someone thoroughly study the NCERT(BIBLE OF UPSC) and noted down the important point in the last … very helpful and much-needed thanks again…..

    Reply
  13. saif din says

    March 18, 2017 at 10:11 am

    Not gud at all

    Reply
  14. venkatpavan says

    March 18, 2017 at 8:35 pm

    Sir please suggest me constitution book for civil services with edition

    Reply
  15. Vishnu Shankar says

    March 29, 2017 at 11:16 pm

    Sir ,
    It was evidence of horse in IVC or not …….
    If not some books is written that the the evidence of horse is true in IVC and it is found in SURKOTDA ……
    Pls clearify this sir .

    Reply
  16. Diganta says

    March 30, 2017 at 12:00 pm

    It’s not “H symmetry culture”. It’s “Cemetery H Culture”.

    Reply
  17. suman pandit says

    June 5, 2017 at 10:14 pm

    Best note…………..please add some mcq type question answer

    Reply
  18. Neha K. says

    December 31, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    Excellent Sir , Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  19. rinki says

    February 12, 2019 at 9:22 am

    Sir can’t be notes provided in hindi ????
    actually sir I’m Hindi medium student

    Reply
  20. Venkatesh naik G says

    March 18, 2019 at 1:35 pm

    Does your article contain 150 to 200 words? is this enough for mains?

    Reply
  21. Prempal singh says

    April 3, 2019 at 2:16 pm

    Nice

    Reply
  22. Remya R says

    May 24, 2019 at 9:09 am

    It is mentioned that horse remains were discovered from kalibangan. Is it correct ??? Horse remains obtained from surkatoda , Gujarat. Right ????

    Reply
  23. SHOAIB AHMAD ANSARI says

    July 9, 2019 at 8:11 pm

    THANKS SIR FOR THE VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT INDUS VALLAY CIVILIZATION.

    Reply
  24. SHUBHAM PARSHURAM PATIL says

    November 13, 2019 at 10:55 pm

    Just prepare from this website great contain…

    Reply
  25. Rupsing Rongphar says

    January 30, 2020 at 10:53 pm

    This is a amazing website that much helpfull knowledge website to appearing any competitive exam

    Reply
  26. [email protected] says

    March 25, 2020 at 10:17 am

    Thank you so much

    Reply
  27. Prashant Singe says

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    I want to join

    Reply

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