Indus Valley Civilization Flashcards
Intro
- The Indus Valley Civilisation was the bronze age civilisation lasting from 2500 to 1600 BCE.
- Along with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was one of the three early civilisations of the world.
Town Planning Features -
Harappan civilisation is known for its splendid elements on urban civilisation and rise of organised cities in Indian continents.
Its town planning features are as follows -
1. First urban centre in the region - Cities of Harappa and Mohen Jo Daro are the earliest examples of civic planning.
2. Divided into Upper and Lower Town - Upper town called the Citadel (in citadel rich people lived). and the lower town where common people lived.
3. City streets were based on a Grid System - The roads and buildings intersected at right angles.
4. Public wells in every street, well in every house.
5. High priority place on Drainage System - There were covered drains along the road with houses built on either side.
6. Remarkable use of baked bricks and sun dried bricks of standardized dimensions.
Economy during IVC
The economy of IVC was based upon agriculture as well as trade. Commerce was important, and there were links from overseas places.
1. Agricutlure and Animal Husbandry
2. Trade and Commerce
Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (6 pts)
- They furrows discovered at Kalibangan (RJ) indicate that the fields were ploughed.
- They probably used the wooden plough drawn by oxen and camels.
- They produced wheat, barley, ragi, peas, sesame, mustard etc. A substantial quantity of barley discovered at Banawali (Haryana).
- Earliest People to produce cotton. (Evidence from Mohen Jo Daro).
- Animals were raised on a large scale - Oxen, buffaloes, goats, sheeps, and Pigs were domesticated. Humped Backed bulls were favoured by Harappans.
- There is no evidence of cow.
Trade and Commerce
- Commercial links with Afghanistan and Iran - They setup a trading colony in northern Afg, which evidently facilitated trade with Central Asia.
- Long distance trade in Lapis Lazuli - from Shortughai (Afg). LL objects may have contributed to the social prestige of the ruling class.
- The Mesopotamiam records from about 2350 BC onwards refer to trade relations with Meluha, which was the ancient name given to the Indus region.
- Mesopotamiam texts of two intermediate trading stations called Dilmum and Makan, which lay between Mesopotamia and Meluha. Dilmun is identifiable with Bahrain on the Persian Gulf.
- Docking Facility at Lothal - Archaelogists have discovered a massive, dredged canal and what they regard as a docking facility.
- Presence of a warehouse like structure at Lothal.
- Trade was probably through Barter system (Exchange of commodities).
Important IVC sites in India (Dholavira) (5)
- UNESCO has inscribed the IVC site of Dholavira as a World Heritage site. It is the only IVC era site from India to get this tag.
- It is located on the Khadim belt Island of Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
- Entire Sequence of Harappan civilisation can be expirienced - Dholavira is one othe very few large Harappan settlements where an entire sequence spanning from early Harappan town/ pre urban phase to the height of the Harappan expansion and the late Harappan culture is observed.
- It is the 6th largest IVC site.
- Evidence of a Stratified Society - The homes in Dholavira suggest that IVC was a stratified society with different social status for different class of people. Unlike, Harappa and Mohen Jo Daro which have two divisions (Citadel and Lower town), Dholavira consists of three divisions -
* A fortified castle with attached fortified bailey (residence of higher officials)
* A foritified middle town
* Lower town for common people.
Contd. Dholavira
- The city consists of two parts - a walled city and a cemetry.
- Construction done in stone - Unlike other IVC sites where burnt bricks have been used, construction is done by stone.
- Expansive Water Management - Dholavira is located in a water scarce region and therefore developed an expansive water management system to let it thrive in a harsh environment.
- Stadium like Structures - Dholavire has two stadium like structures which would have been used for dance performances, gathering etc.
- A series of reservoirs are found- Series of water reservoirs to the east and south of the citadel. The water management system here is designed to store every drop of water in the reservoirs.
- Dholavira Signboards - Dholavira signboard is the largest IVC written inscription known. It is located close to the Gate of the city. (like an Advertisement board).
Lothal
The Government has announced allocation to the Ministry of Culture for the maritime museum coming up at Lothal in Gujarat as part of the 2020 budget.
Features are as follows -
1. The archaeological remains of Harappan port town is located along the Bhogova river, a trubutary of Sabarmati, in the Gulf of Khambat.
2.Only Port Town of IVC - the remains of stone anchors, marine shells, sealings which trace its origin in the Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia.
3.Warehouse like Structure - Presence of a warehouse like structure further aids our comprehension of Lothal port.
4.Two Primary Zones - Within the quadrangular fortified layout, Lothal has two primary zones - the upper (Citadel) and the lower town.
3. Planned Layout - Within the citadel are wide streets, drains and rows of bathing platform suggesting a planned layout.
4. Bead Making Factory - The remains of the lower town suggest that the area had a bead making factory.
5. The availbility of antiquities and presence of bead making factories suggest that Lothal was an Industrial Port town of the Harappan Culture.
Sculpture of IVC (bronze)
INTRO - Various forms of art have been found at IVC sites like Sculptures, Seals, Pottery, Jewellery, Terracotta Figures etc.
1. Sculptures were made using the ‘lost wax technique’ -
* Bronze casting was practiced on a wide scale by Harappans. It was popular at all major centres of IVC.
* We find both human and animal figures.
* The best Example is the ‘Dancing Girl Statue’.
* Copper dog and bird found at Lothal, also, Bronze figure of a bull found at Mohen Jo Daro.
* Late Harappan and Chalcolithic sites like Daimabad (MH) yeilded excellent examples of metal cast sculptures.
Terracotta Sculptures -4
- Figure representing Mother Goddess and Figure of Bearded male with coiled hair. Repititon of these figures suggest they were deities.
- Toy carts with wheels, whistles, birds, animals and Gamesman have been found.
- Compared to Bronze and Stone Statues their representation of human form is crude in IVC.
- However, they are more realistic at Gujarat sites and Kalibangan (RJ)
Seals
- Thousands of Seals made up of Steatite and occasionally of Agate, Chert, Copper or faince have been discovered at IVC sites
- Main purpose of Seal making was commercial, however they were also used as amulets.
- Seals were engraved in a pictographic script which has not been deciphered yet.
- Standard size of seals - 2X2
- Seals had beatiful animal figures such as Unicorn bull, Rhinocores, Tiger, Elephant, Bison etc.
- Sometimes, trees or human figures were also depicted.
- Seals of Gold and Ivory have also been found.
- Most remarkable is Pashupati Seal - Human figure seated cross legged. Elephan and Tiger on right, Rhino and Buffalo on the left, Antelopes at the bottom.
- Copper Tablets with inscriptions have also been found.
Pottery
- Large quantity of pottery excavated at IVC sites enable us to understand the gradual evolution of various design motifs.
- IVC pottery mainly consists of very fine wheel made wares with very few being hand made.
- Plain pottery is more common than Painted Ware.
- Plain pottery is generally of Red Clay, with or without Fine Red or Gray slip.
- Also, Black painted ware with geometric and animal designs executed in Glossy dark Paint has been found.
Gujarat specific sites (Rangpur, Desalpur)
Put-right now
Decline of IVC
- By 1800 BCE, the IVC saw the beginning of their decline.
- Writings started to disappear, standardised weights and measures fell out of use and some cities were gradually abandoned.
- The reasons for decline are not entirely clear, however the drying up of Saraswati river seems to be the main cause.
- Other reason may have been a great flood in the area.
- Later, a large group of Aryans migrated into the region. This was a large migration and is considered as invasion by some. However, this hypothesis is not accepted by most of the historians.
Religious practices
- No temples or religious structures Per se have been found at IVC sites.
- Great bath has been discovered at MJD which might be used for ritual bathing.
- In Harappa, numerous terracotta figures of a women have been found. A plant is shown as growing out of the embryo of the women. This figure is known as mother goddess.
- Multiple representations of this figure shows that Harappan’s were intimately connected with nature and looked upon her as fertility Goddess.
- Pasupati Seal- a 3 horned god sitting in a the posture of a yogi. The god is surrounded by various animals which were known to Harappans.
- Nature worship - The people of Harappa also worshipped trees and animals which is depicted in various seals which were also used as amulets (one horned unicorn seal)
- Fire altars have been discovered at Kalibangan.
