Indus Valley civilization

Harappan civilization/Indus Valley civilization

Or

Bronze age of civilization.

(c.2600-1900 BCE)

Features

• First urban civilization in South Asia.
• Occupied most area about 8,00,000 sq.km
• earlier the historian had also called Indus valley civilization.
• excavated in the Ghaggar-Hakra belt that spread far beyond the Indus region.
• Harappa as the first archaeological site to be discovered.
• Largest among the three ancient civilizations.

 

Can be classified in three phases:

1. The Early / Pre-Harappan phase (c. 3200-2600 BCE).
2. Mature Harappan phase (c. 2600-1900 BCE).
3. Later Harappan phase (c. 1900-1300 BCE) Localization Era.

 

1. The Early / Pre-Harappan phase (c. 3200-2600) - The Early Harappan phase known as the Regionalization Era, was the formative, proto-urban phase of the Harappan civilization. Hakra phase of settlements, fortification, high-level of specialized crafts, such as stone working, bead-making, metal-crafting, use of wheeled transport, the existence of trade networks.

Some of the Early Harappan archaeological sites are: Padri (in Gujrat) , Kalibangan (in Rajasthan) , Dholavira in Kutch, Harappa in West Punjab, Balakot, Amri and Bhirrana in Haryana, Kot Diji and Gumla.

 

2. Mature Harappan phase (c. 2600-1900 BCE): also known as Integration Era was the Urban Phase of civilization. Materials found-red and black pottery, terracotta figurines, standardized brick size.

 

3. Later Harappan phase (c. 1900-1300 BCE) Localization Era- Late Harappan phase comprises five geographical zones - West Punjab (Cemetery -H Culture) , East Punjab Phase, Jhukar Phase, Rangpur Phase, Ganga-Yamuna Doab Phase.

Features:

• Post urban phase
• Final the period in the Harappan Civilization.
• Gradual change in seals.
• Pottery confined writing.
• Frequency of cubical weights.
• Town Planning
• Citadel/Raised Part- Public buildings, Granaries, important workshops.

Other Areas:

Religious Activity:

• Considered as a secular society.
• Idolatry was practised.
• Sacred rituals, such as Great bath at Mohenjo-Daro.
• Mother Goddesses.
• Pasupati-Mahadev or Proto-Shiva.
• Lingam(phallus) and Yoni of Worship (cult of fertility).
• Pipal Tree.
• Humped Bull
• Birds (dove & pigeon).
• One horn unicorn.

Agricultural Activity:

• Earliest civilization to produce Cotton. (Swindon)
• Grew wheat (in Mehrgarh) barley, peas, melon, sesame, grapes, henna, garlic, mustard, rice (Lothal).
• Exploited riverine and marine resources.
• Domesticated animals; such as cattle, oxen, buffalos, goats, sheep, pigs, camels, cats, gods were domesticated.
• Harappan the culture was not horse-centred.
• Ploughed fields, wooden ploughs (discovered at Kalibagan, Terracotta models of plough found at Banawali and Bahawalpur.

 

Famous Harappan Sites:

Harappa:

• State: Pakistan (Punjab).
• River: Ravi.
• Excavator: Dayaram Sahani.

Features:

• Coffin burial and cemetery ‘H’ culture.
• Two rows of six granaries.
• Direct trade evidence with Mesopotamia.
• Red stone idols of Dancing girl, bust of male and female genitalia.

 

Mohenjo-Daro:

• State: Pakistan (Sindh).
• River: Indus.
• Excavator: R.D Banerji (1922).

Features:

• Great-bath.
• Dancing Girl (Bronze).
• Bangles of clay.
• Evidence of ship/big.
• Large granary.
• Seal representing: Mother Goddess, Pashupati.
• Assembly Hall.

Lothal:

• State: Gujarat (Ahmedabad).
• River: Bhogava and Sabarmati.
• Excavator: S.R Rao (1957).

Features:

• Sea-trade Centre.
• City divided into six sectors.
• Dockyard.
• Remains of rice husks.
• Evidence of double burial.
• Ivory scale.
• Terracotta model of the ship.
• Seal from Mesopotamia.
• Fire altars.

 

Kalibangan :

• State: Rajasthan.
• River: Ghaggar.
• Excavator: Amlanand Ghosh (1953), Dr B.B Lal and B.K Thapar (1961).

 

features:

• Bones of Camel.
• Burials in the circular and rectangular grave.
• Ploughed field.
• Fire altars.
• The brick wall around the citadel and lower town.

 

Banawali:

• State: Haryana.
• River: Rangoi.
• Excavator: R.S Bist (1973/74).

Features:

• Clay model of the plough.
• Ceramics, steatite seal.
• Barley.
• Late-Harappan civilization.

 

Dholavira:

• State: Gujarat.
• Excavator: J.P Joshi (1990-91).
• features:
• Unique water harvesting system.
• All three phases of Harappan civilization.
• Water reservoir.
• Inscription (similar to a signboard).

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