Indus Valley Civilisation UPSC Notes – Phases, Important Sites, Features

The Indus Valley Civilisation, also known as the Harappan Civilisation, marks the beginning of India’s history. The civilisation is dated between c. 2600 and 1900 BCE. It flourished in the western part of Asia, which comes under present-day Pakistan and Western India. Read on to learn important points regarding the Indus Valley Civilisation for the […]

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The Indus Valley Civilisation, also known as the Harappan Civilisation, marks the beginning of India’s history. The civilisation is dated between c. 2600 and 1900 BCE. It flourished in the western part of Asia, which comes under present-day Pakistan and Western India. Read on to learn important points regarding the Indus Valley Civilisation for the Civil Services Examination.

Indus Valley Civilisation- Overview

  • Indus Valley Civilisation is also known as the Harappan Civilisation because Harappa was the first site to be excavated in 1921 under the supervision of Daya Ram Sahni.
  • The known extent of IVC is up to Suktagendor in Baluchistan in the west; Alamgirpur (UP) in the east; Daimabad (Maharashtra) in the South; and Manda (Jammu & Kashmir) in the north.
  • The Indus Valley Civilisation was the largest among the four ancient civilisations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and India.
  • While IVC is on the banks of the Indus, Egyptian Civilisation flourished on the banks of the River Nile, Mesopotamian Civilisation flourished on the banks of the Tigris or Euphrates River, and Chinese Civilisation flourished on the banks of the Hwang Ho River.
  • Since it belongs to the Bronze/Chalcolithic Age, it is also known as the Bronze Age Civilisation.
  • In the 1920s, excavations were carried out in the Indus Valley regions, where ruins of the old cities were found. The first city to be unearthed was Harappa, giving it its name.
  • In 1924, John Marshall, the then Director-General of the Department of Archaeology, announced the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Phases of the Indus Valley Civilisation

The phases of the Indus Valley Civilisation are:

  • The early Harappan phase was from 3300 BC to 2600 BC.
  • The mature Harappan phase was from 2600 BC to 1900 BC.
  • The late Harappan phase was from 1900 BC to 1300 BC.
  • The signs of a gradual decline of the Indus River Valley Civilisation are believed to have started around 1800 BC and by 1700 BC, most of the cities were abandoned.

Important Sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation

Site Location River Bank
Harappa Montegomari, Punjab (Pakistan) Ravi
Mohenjodaro Larkana, Sindh (Pakistan) Indus
Suktagendor Baluchistan (Pakistan) Dashta
Chanhudaro Sindh (Pakistan) Indus
Rangpur Ahmedabad (India) Meedar
Kalibangan Ganganagar (Rajasthan) Ghaggar
Lothal Ahmedabad Sabarmati & Bhogva
Banawali Hissar (Haryana) Saraswati
Amri Sindh and Baluchistan Indus
Dholavira Gujarat Luni

Indus Valley Civilisation – Features

There were many features of the Indus Valley Civilisation that show how advanced it was for its time. These features reflect how well-planned the society was.

Indus Valley Civilisation Features 

Urbanization & Town Planning
  • Town planning is the most important and distinguishing feature of the Harappan Civilisation. Hence, it was called an urban civilisation.
  • Towns were divided into parts, namely the citadel and the lower town. Citadels were occupied by members of the ruling class and the lower town was inhabited by the common people. 
  • Another important feature of IVC is the drainage system. Drains were built of burnt bricks and covered by stone lids.
  • Chanhudaro was the only town without a citadel. 
Agriculture & Economy
  • They grew wheat and barley on a large scale. Other crops that they grew included pulses, cereals, cotton, dates, melons, peas, sesamum, and mustard.
  • No clear evidence of rice has been found. 
  • Harappan people were mostly peasants and thus the Harappan civilisation was an agro-commercial civilisation. 
  • Harappans were the earliest people to grow cotton. 
  • Their most important artistic work is seals. Seals are made of steatite and are square-shaped. 
  • The most depicted animal is the bull. 
  • Bangle-making and shell ornament-making were also practiced. 
  • Land and sea trade was in vogue in the Indus Valley Civilisation.
  • A dockyard has been found at Lothal which is the longest building of Harappan Civilisation.
Religion of Harappans
  • Pashupati seal has been found in Mohenjodaro in which a Yogi has been depicted. 
  • The Yogi on the seal is surrounded by buffalo, tiger, elephant, rhinoceros, and deer.
  • Signs of phallic worship have been found. 
  • Harappans worshipped the mother Goddess. It is evident from the terracotta figurine recovered from Harappa. 
  • A building called the Great Bath has been found at Mohenjodaro. It was meant for ritual bathing.
  • No evidence of temples has been found in this civilisation.
  • Amulets were found in large numbers. 
Script of Harappans
  • The Harappans knew the art of writing.
  • More than 4000 specimens of scripts were found in excavations.
  • The script, however, is not alphabetical but pictographic and it has not been deciphered yet. 
Administration 
  • Evidence of complex decision-making in Harappan society is seen in the uniformity of artifacts like pottery, seals, weights, and bricks 
  • Some archaeologists believe there were no rulers and society was egalitarian.
  • Others suggest multiple rulers in different cities (e.g., Mohenjodaro and Harappa).
  • Most plausible theory: A single state with central authority, due to standardised artifacts and brick sizes, planned urban layouts, and settlements near raw material sources. 

Are the Indus Valley Civilisation and Harappan Civilisation the same?

Yes, the Indus Valley Civilisation is the same as the Harappan Civilisation. Harappa was the first site to be discovered in the Indus Valley Civilisation; hence, the entire civilisation is referred to as the Harappan Civilisation.

What was the script used in the Indus Valley Civilisation?

The Indus Valley Script was distinct and mostly pictographic. However, it has not been deciphered till now.

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