Indus Valley Civilization Flashcards
(36 cards)
What is the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) also known as?
Harappan Civilisation; named after the first site discovered – Harappa in 1921 (by Daya Ram Sahni).
Period of IVC?
2600–1900 BCE (Mature phase); Early Harappan (3300–2600 BCE); Late Harappan (1900–1300 BCE).
Geography of IVC?
Spread over northwest India, Pakistan & eastern Afghanistan: River basins: Indus, Ghaggar-Hakra, Ravi, Sutlej, Beas.
What were the major town-planning features?
• Grid pattern (streets at right angles)
• Citadel (west) & lower town (east)
• Use of burnt bricks
• Excellent drainage (covered, with inspection holes)
• Granaries, Great Bath, wells & bathing platforms
Unique aspect of Dholavira’s layout?
3-part division: Citadel, middle town, lower town.
What kind of economy did IVC have?
• Agrarian base: Wheat, barley, dates, sesame, cotton.
• Domesticated animals: Humped bull, buffalo, dog, elephant, sheep, goat (no horse evidence in mature phase).
• Trade: Internal (with Rajasthan, Gujarat) & External (Mesopotamia, Oman).
• Weights & Measures: Binary system – 1, 2, 4, 8, 16… mostly made of chert or limestone.
• Standardized weights indicate regulated trade.
Major exports?
Beads, lapis lazuli, carnelian, terracotta figurines, cotton textiles.
What materials were used in Harappan crafts?
Steatite, copper, bronze, gold, terracotta, faience, shell.
Major crafts?
• Bead-making (Chanhudaro, Lothal)
• Seal-making (steatite seals with animal motifs & script)
• Pottery: Red ware with black designs
• Metallurgy: Bronze tools, copper mirrors, dancing girl (bronze)
What type of script did Harappans use?
• Pictographic script; written right to left, possibly boustrophedon.
• Undeciphered; ~400 signs
• Appears on seals, pottery, tools
Did Harappans leave any literature?
No written literature has been discovered.
What were religious practices in IVC?
• Mother goddess worship
• Pashupati seal: Proto-Shiva with animals – considered earliest Shaivism evidence
• Tree worship, animal worship (bull), phallus & yoni symbols
• No temple structure found
• Evidence of fire altars (Kalibangan)
What burial types were found?
• Extended burials (most common)
• Pot burials (children)
• Evidence of grave goods, suggesting belief in afterlife
• Cemetery H culture (Harappa) = Late Harappan phase
What are the theories of IVC decline?
• Ecological change (river drying – Ghaggar-Hakra)
• Floods (esp. Mohenjo-Daro)
• Deforestation & overgrazing
• Invasion (Aryan theory – now discredited)
• Decline of trade with Mesopotamia
• Gradual ruralisation – no abrupt end
What was the significance of cotton in IVC?
Harappans were the first to produce cotton in the world (Greek name for cotton = “Sindon”).
Did Harappans know iron?
No, Iron was unknown to them.
Is horse found in IVC?
No confirmed evidence in mature phase. Some Late Harappan sites show possible horse remains (debatable).
Was IVC an urban or rural civilisation?
It was the first urban civilisation in South Asia.
What are some direct facts about IVC?
• No iron, horse, temples, or wheeled transport (though carts existed).
• Seals (with inscriptions) are unique and widespread.
• Lothal had the earliest dockyard.
• No depiction of deity in temples – unlike later Vedic culture.
• Granaries found at Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro (not in all sites).
• Kalibangan had ploughed field evidence – earliest in the world.
Q: What makes Chanhudaro distinct, and where is it found?
Location: Sindh (Pakistan)
Highlights: Bead-making centre, absence of a citadel (rare in IVC sites).
Q: Why is Rakhigarhi notable and where is it located?
A:
• Location: Haryana
• Highlights: Largest Indus Valley site in India, granary, burial grounds (cemetery).
Q: What is the importance of Banawali, and where is it located?
A:
• Location: Haryana
• Highlights: Evidence of barley cultivation, radial street pattern.
Q: What important discoveries were made at Kalibangan and where is it located?
A:
• Location: Rajasthan
• Highlights: Ploughed agricultural field (world’s earliest), fire altars, no drainage system (unlike most IVC sites).
Q: What makes Lothal unique among Harappan sites and where is it?
A:
• Location: Gujarat
• Highlights: Earliest dockyard, bead factory, evidence of rice (rare in IVC).
