"The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation, was a Bronze Age civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE..."
Examine the archaeological remains and artifacts left by this ancient civilization that flourished in the Indus river valley over 4000 years ago. Study their social, economic, and religious practices.
Geography of the Indus Valley: Understanding the physical and environmental conditions of the Indus Valley and how it influenced the development of the civilization.
Economic activities: Exploring the trade, agriculture, crafts, and commerce that sustained the Indus people and their society.
Cities and settlements: Analyzing the layout and architecture of the Indus cities, their urban planning, and infrastructure.
Writing and script: Examining the script used by the Indus people, known as the Indus script, and the decipherment attempts of scholars.
Art and symbolism: Appreciating the artistic expressions of the Indus civilization and the cultural and religious significance of their symbolism.
Religion and beliefs: Understanding the spiritual and religious practices of the Indus people, including the worship of Mother Goddess, animal sacrifice, and burial customs.
Society and class structure: Analyzing the social organization and hierarchy of the Indus society, especially the role of priests, rulers, and merchants.
Technology and innovations: Exploring the technological advancements of the Indus people, including brick-laying techniques, water management, and metalworking.
Decline and disappearance: Investigating the reasons for the decline and disappearance of the Indus civilization, including environmental factors, invasion or migration, and internal conflicts.
Legacy and influence: Examining the cultural, linguistic, and historical legacies of the Indus civilization, particularly its impact on the South Asian region and its relevance to contemporary issues.
Harappan Civilization: This was the earliest and most extensive civilization discovered in the Indus Valley, located in modern-day Pakistan and northwest India. The Harappan people built well-planned cities with advanced technologies.
Mohenjo-Daro Civilization: This was another important Indus Valley Civilization city, situated in modern Pakistan. The Mohenjo-Daro ruins are the most well-preserved of the Indus Valley Civilization sites.
Rakhigarhi Civilization: Rakhigarhi is the biggest Harappan site in India and is located in Haryana. It was the largest Indus Valley Civilization city.
Lothal Civilization: Lothal is the name of the second oldest civilization in the Indus Valley Civilization after Harappa. Located in modern-day Gujrat, India, it was a major center for trade.
Dholavira Civilization: Dholavira is another well-preserved Indus Valley Civilization city located in Gujrat, India. This city had advanced city planning and water conservation systems.
Kalibangan Civilization: Located in Rajasthan, India, Kalibangan was a relatively small Indus Valley Civilization city. However, it was an important center for trade.
Banawali Civilization: Banawali is an Indus Valley Civilization city located in the present-day Indian state of Haryana. It is believed to have been a major center for trade and agriculture.
Alamgirpur Civilization: Alamgirpur is an Indus Valley Civilization city located in Uttar Pradesh, India. It was a small settlement but has provided interesting insights into the social and economic conditions of the ancient civilization.
Amri Civilization: Amri is an Indus Valley Civilization site located in Sindh, Pakistan. Although smaller than some of the other civilizations, Amri's unique pottery and artifacts give us a glimpse into the culture and trade of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Chanhudaro Civilization: Chanhudaro is an Indus Valley Civilization site located in Sindh, Pakistan. It was a trade center and provided insights into the trade activities of the ancient civilization.
"Together with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was one of three early civilisations of the Near East and South Asia..."
"...its sites spanning an area from much of Pakistan, to northeast Afghanistan, and northwestern India."
"The civilisation flourished both in the alluvial plain of the Indus River, which flows through the length of Pakistan, and along a system of perennial monsoon-fed rivers that once coursed in the vicinity of the Ghaggar-Hakra, a seasonal river in northwest India and eastern Pakistan."
"The term Harappan is sometimes applied to the Indus civilisation after its type site Harappa, the first to be excavated early in the 20th century..."
"...there are five major urban centres: Mohenjo-daro in the lower Indus Valley, Harappa in the western Punjab region, Ganeriwala in the Cholistan Desert, Dholavira in western Gujarat, and Rakhigarhi in Haryana."
"The cities of the ancient Indus were noted for their urban planning, baked brick houses, elaborate drainage systems, water supply systems, clusters of large non-residential buildings, and techniques of handicraft and metallurgy."
"Mohenjo-daro and Harappa very likely grew to contain between 30,000 and 60,000 individuals..."
"A gradual drying of the region during the 3rd millennium BCE may have been the initial stimulus for its urbanisation. Eventually it also reduced the water supply enough to cause the civilisation's demise and to disperse its population to the east."
"...nearly a hundred excavated, there are five major urban centres..."
"...declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 as 'Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro'"
"...declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 as 'Dholavira: A Harappan City'"
"The Harappan language is not directly attested, and its affiliations are uncertain..."
"A relationship with the Dravidian or Elamo-Dravidian language family is favored by a section of scholars."
"the civilization may have contained between one and five million individuals during its florescence."
"There were earlier and later cultures called Early Harappan and Late Harappan in the same area."
"Harappan civilisation is sometimes called Mature Harappan to distinguish it from the earlier cultures. The early Harappan cultures were populated from Neolithic cultures, the earliest and best-known of which is Mehrgarh, in Balochistan, Pakistan."
"The discovery of Harappa and soon afterwards Mohenjo-daro was the culmination of work that had begun after the founding of the Archaeological Survey of India in the British Raj in 1861."
"Although over a thousand Mature Harappan sites have been reported..."
"...as the Indus script has remained undeciphered."