"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..."
A civilization that emerged in the Indus River valley, in present-day Pakistan and India, around 2600 BCE. Known for its sophisticated urban planning, advanced water management systems, and the use of writing that is still not fully deciphered.
Geographical Location and Climate: Understanding the location and climate of the Indus Valley is crucial for understanding how the civilization developed and sustained itself.
Chronological Framework: Knowing the timeframe in which the Indus Valley Civilization existed can help contextualize the civilizations’ developments in relation to other regions of the world.
Archeology and Excavations: The discovery and excavation of artifacts and ruins of the Indus Valley Civilization help us to understand the daily life, social structure, and technology of the time.
Social Structure: The Indus Valley Civilization had a complex social structure, including royalty, priests, artisans, and farmers.
Agriculture: Agriculture was the basis of the Indus Valley Civilization, with wheat, barley, and other crops being cultivated throughout the region.
Trade and Commerce: The Indus Valley Civilization had a sophisticated trade network, with goods such as pottery, textiles, and precious metals traded throughout the region.
Language and Writing: The Indus Valley Civilization had a unique script, but it remains largely undeciphered, leaving many questions about the written records of the civilization.
Art and Architecture: The Indus valley civilization had its unique architectural style and art that reflects its culture, lifestyle and religion.
Religion and Belief Systems: Religion played an essential role in the Indus Valley Civilization, with evidence of a religion centered around deities, fertility, and the afterlife.
Decline and Disappearance: The factors behind the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization are still a matter of debate, but factors such as climate change, invasion, and domestic instability contribute to the decline of the civilization.
Early Harappan Phase: This phase covers the period of 3300: BCE, during which the civilization was in its initial stages of development. The phase is characterized by the use of earthen and mud-brick architecture, and the development of agriculture.
Mature Harappan Phase: This phase covers the period of 2600: BCE, during which the civilization reached its peak in terms of urbanization, trade, and economic prosperity. The phase is characterized by the development of the grid system in city planning, the use of standardized weights and measures, and the emergence of trade networks.
Late Harappan Phase: This phase covers the period of 1900: BCE, during which the civilization went into decline, possibly due to a combination of factors like changes in climate, internal conflicts, and external invasions. The phase is characterized by the abandonment of some urban centers and a shift towards rural settlements.
Post-Harappan Period: This phase covers the period of 1300: BCE, during which the civilization was no longer centralized but continued to exist in the form of fragmented cultures and regional kingdoms. The phase is characterized by the emergence of new cultural practices, and the development of new arts and crafts.
"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 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."
"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."
"...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."
"Mohenjo-daro [was] declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 as 'Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro'."
"Dholavira [was] 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, as the Indus script has remained undeciphered."
"A relationship with the Dravidian or Elamo-Dravidian language family is favored by a section of scholars."
"The early Harappan cultures were populated from Neolithic cultures, the earliest and best-known of which is Mehrgarh, in Balochistan, Pakistan."
"...urban planning, baked brick houses, elaborate drainage systems, water supply systems, clusters of large non-residential buildings, and techniques of handicraft and metallurgy."
"Although over a thousand Mature Harappan sites have been reported and nearly a hundred excavated..."
"Ganeriwala in the Cholistan Desert..."
"The Indus River, which flows through the length of Pakistan..."
"The earliest and best-known [Neolithic culture] is Mehrgarh, in Balochistan, Pakistan."