INDUS SCRIPT (SIGNS)
Harappan Civilization
As we all know that our ancestors learned a lot of thing with time. Prehistoric human eats raw
meat and with the passage of time, he learns to eat cooked food, use of various metals,
agriculture, etc.
After all these learning humans came to know about the civilization it was Bronze Age when
human felt the need for civilization. Indus valley civilization was an ancient civilization in the
Indian sub-continent.
Indus valley civilization was one among the three early civilizations of the world. Indus valley
civilization is also known as the Harappa Civilization.
Discovery of Harappa:
Harappan civilization was first excavated by Sir John Marshall in 1921. It was a bronze age
civilization existed in South Asia. Indus valley civilization flourished in the basins of Indus
River. This civilization was spread over a vast area including not only the Indus plain but also
Northern Rajasthan and the region of Kathiawar in Western India.
Features of Indus Valley Civilization:
Following are some of the features of Indus Valley Civilization:
1. One of the most important features of Indus Valley Civilization was systematic town
planning on the basis of the grid system which divides the city into several rectangular blocks.
2. Kalibangan, a site of Harappa consists of two parts- on the west ‘citadel’ (used for public
gathering) and the other is lower town (consists of residential areas).
3. This civilization used large scale use of bricks in building and the use of stone was
extensively founded only at Dholavira.
4. The underground drainage system has been found in all the houses which were connected
to the streets.
5. Houses are present on both sides of streets and these houses had one side entrance with no
windows facing the main street.
6. Street also has the arrangement of street lighting.
7. The houses had kitchens and bathrooms, 4 to 6 living rooms, large houses with 30 rooms
and a staircase.
Major Cities of Indus Valley Civilization:
Some of the major cities of Indus Valley Civilization:
1. Mohen-Jo-Daro (Sind, Pakistan): (Mound of Dead)
It is one of the largest cities of the Indus valley situated on the right bank of the Indus valley.
Great bath is situated and people take a spiritual bath here. Granary is the largest building,
multi-pillar assembly hall and big rectangular building used for administrative purposes.
2. Kalibangan (Rajasthan):
Kalibangan means “black bangles” and this site is situated on the southern bank of the
Ghaggar Rivers in the Ganganagar district, Rajasthan. The city had pre- Harappan and
Harappan cultural phases. Pre Harappan phase discovered the parallelogram citadel.
3. Lothal and Dholavira (Gujarat):
Lothal is located beside a tributary of Sabarmati, in Gujarat, close to the gulf of Khambhat
and Dholavira is situated at Kutch district. At Lothal evidence on the use of rice, fire altars,
seals and granary found.
4. Harappa:
Located on the left bank of river Indus and it is the first Indus site to be excavated first in
1921.
a. Life in the Harappan city:
The life was busy, matriarchal society found, the merchants were the most dominant group,
both men and women fond of ornaments (like- necklace, finger-rings, bangles, anklets,
bracelets, etc.), people enjoyed dancing singing, fishing, gambling, etc.
b. Houses, Drains, and Street:
Houses were two-storeyed, rooms built around a courtyard, water overflowed from the houses
drains on the streets which had a street, underground drainage system founded, drains were
made up of mortar, lime, gypsum, etc and was covered with bricks which shows their sense
of hygiene and grid system was a common feature.
c. Industry in Harappan Civilization:
People of Harappa engaged in cutting stone, polishing beads, carving seals, metallurgy, ivory
work, and craft work, evidence of ship industry founded.
d. Agriculture:
Agriculture was the backbone of this society. People used a wooden plow, stone stickles for
harvesting, and people grow wheat, barley, dates, peas, sesamum, mustard, ragi, bajra, and
jowar.
e. Religious life in Harappa:
Peoples worshiped Pasupathi Mahadeva and a terra cotta figure of mother goddess where a
plant is shown growing out of the embryo of a woman. No temples were found. Pipal, bull,
dove, the pigeon was worshiped and believes in evil spirit also.
End of Harappan Civilization:
Harappan civilization was ended around 3900 years ago. Archaeologists and scholars suggest
downfall of this civilization was due to the dried up of rivers, deforestation. The main cause
of the deforestation was the use of firewood for banking bricks and smelting of copper ores
and overgrazing of green cover by cattle’s.
Overview -Harappan Civilization/ Indus Valley Civilization
The Stone Age ended as soon as the first metal “copper” was discovered. This lead to the start of the Chalcolithic
period. Soon copper was mixed with tin to get bronze which was more strong and durable than copper. The
Harappan Civilization belonged to this Bronze Age (2500-1700 BCE). It was one of the ancient civilizations of the
whole world.
The four ancient contemporary Civilizations were:
1. Egyptian Civilization: Along river “Nile”
2. Mesopotamian Civilization: Along river Tigris and Euphrates
3. Chinese Civilization: Along river Huang Ho (Yellow River)
4. Indus Valley/ Harappan Civilization: Along River Indus, Saraswati and its tributaries
Indus Valley Civilization was the largest among the four.
Some important facts about IVC were:
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IVC is also called Harappan Civilization as Harappa was first site discovered
IVC is also called Bronze Age Civilization as Bronze was the most prominent metal used
It existed between 2500-1700 BCE
Harappa was discovered by excavator “Dayaram Sahni” in 1921
2nd site discovered was Mohenjodaro, by “RD Bannerjee” in 1922
The excavation was led by John Marshall
IVC was 1st in the world to grow cotton
Town Plan
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Indus Valley Civilization had a much planned way of constructing their cities following a grid pattern.
Main roads were in North-south Direction while the alleys were in the East-west direction
Doors opened in alleys and not on the main roads
Underground covered drains were present with manholes
houses were:
 1 to 2 storey high
 Made of burnt bricks
 size of brick was in ratio 1:2:4
Agriculture and Domestication
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Main food crop/staple food crop: Wheat and Barley
Rice husk found in Lothal and Rangpur which proves growth of Rice as well
1st people in the world to grow cotton
Sheep, goats, buffalo’s, oxen, dogs were domesticated
No remains of Cow and lion were found
Religious beliefs
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Chief male god: Pashupati( believed to be Shiva)
Chief female god: Mother goddess( a plant growing from woman’s womb)
Trade and measurements
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Tin and precious stones: imported from Iran and Afghanistan
Gold imported from Karnataka
Copper from Rajasthan and Oman
cubical Stone weights were used in the multiple of 16(Concept of annas)