INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

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Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) was a Bronze Age civilization in the Indus River valley that flourished from around 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. It is also called as Harappan Civilization after the first city to be excavated, Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan).

Recent Findings-

• Researchers from Deccan College Pune along with the Central Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have established that human remains discovered at an ancient site of Rakhigarhi – a village in the Hisar district of Haryana – date back around 8,000 years.
• Location: Rakhigarhi, Haryana, India
  Findings: Archaeologists unearthed a massive reservoir, providing insights into the advanced water management practices of the Harappan people. This discovery offers clues about the existence and course of the ancient Saraswati River
• Parallel Civilizations: Archaeological findings from Sivakalai in Tamil Nadu indicate that an Iron Age civilization in the region ran parallel to the Indus Valley Civilization. Dating of the finds establishes that they are from around 2,500 BC to 3,000 BC, suggesting advancement in the metal age.

Geography of Indus Valley Civilization-

The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) flourished in the fertile Indus Valley, spanning present-day Pakistan and northwestern India. The region’s unique geography, with the Indus River flowing through the valley, created a conducive environment for agriculture and settlement.

Economy and Trade–

The IVC economy was driven by agriculture, with crops like wheat, barley, and cotton being major produce. Trade played a significant role, with merchants exchanging goods like:

– Precious stones (lapis lazuli, carnelian)
– Metals (copper, bronze)
– Textiles (cotton, wool)
– Grains (wheat, barley)

Script and Language of Indus Valley Civilization-

General Characteristics

• Undeciphered: Unlike Mesopotamian Cuneiform and Egyptian Hieroglyphs, the Indus script has not been translated due to the lack of a bilingual text (like the Rosetta Stone for Egypt).
• Logographic or Syllabic: It is believed to be a logo-syllabic script, meaning it could represent words and syllables, rather than just phonetic sounds like an alphabet.
• Short Inscriptions: Most inscriptions are brief, with an average of 5–6 symbols, and the longest inscription has about 26 signs.
• Written from Right to Left: Studies suggest that the script was written from right to left, based on how the symbols are spaced.
• Over 400 Unique Symbols: Scholars have identified 400–600 distinct signs, possibly representing words, syllables, or concepts.
  
  Where the Script Has Been Found
• The script appears on seals, pottery, copper tablets, ivory pieces, and terracotta objects.
• Most inscriptions have been found in major Indus cities like Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, and Rakhigarhi.
• Some symbols resemble fish, animals, human figures, and geometric shapes.
  
  Theories on Its Meaning
• Proto-Dravidian Theory: Some scholars believe the script is linked to Dravidian languages (like Tamil).
• Sanskrit or Indo-Aryan Theory: Others argue it may be related to early Sanskrit or Vedic language.
• Pictographic Nature: Some signs look like fish, birds, and plants, suggesting a symbolic or pictorial meaning.
  
  Challenges in Deciphering the Script
• No Long Texts: Unlike Mesopotamian or Egyptian scripts, the Indus inscriptions are too short for clear interpretation.
• No Bilingual Text: There is no equivalent translation in a known language (like the Rosetta Stone for Egyptian).
• Lack of Continuity: The script disappeared after 1900 BCE, making it hard to connect with later languages.

The Indus script remains one of the greatest unsolved puzzles in ancient history. If deciphered, it could reveal the language, culture, and administration of the Indus Valley Civilization. However, until we find a longer text or a bilingual inscription, its true meaning remains unknown.

Seals from Indus Valley Civilization–

Indus Valley Civilisation produced a lot of artefacts and art forms. Thousands of seals have been discovered by archaeologists from the Harappan sites.

What were the materials used to make the seals?
Most of the seals were made of steatite (it is kind of soft stone). A few of the seals were also made of gold, ivory, agate, terracotta, chert and faience.

What was the shape of the Harappan seals?
The shape of most of the Harappan seals was square with a 2X2 dimension.

What was the purpose of the seals?
Seals were primarily used for commercial purposes. A few seals were also used as amulets, perhaps as a kind of identity card.

What pictures were on the Harappan seals?
All the seals have pictures of animals with something written in a pictographic script (which is yet to be deciphered). Chiefly, the animals represented are tigers, elephants, bulls, bison, goats and so on. Some seals have mathematical images and must have been used for educational purposes.

Were there writings on Harappan Seals?
There are writings on both sides of the seals. The writings are in the Kharosthi style (right to left).

Some important points on Pashupati Seal-The most famous seal is the Pashupati Seal of Harappan civilization from Mohenjodaro. It is a seal with a figure seated cross-legged in the center with animals around; an elephant and a tiger to the right of the figure and rhino and a buffalo to its left.

Some imp facts about IVC sites-

Religion in Indus Valley Civilization

• Matridevi or Shakti is the Mother goddess
• Yoni worship and Nature worship existed.
• Nature Worship-They worshipped trees like Peepal
• They also worshipped Fire, called Havan Kund.
• Pashupati Mahadeva is known as the lord of Animals
• The people of Indus Valley Civilisation carried out Animal worship like Unicorn and ox.
  
  No temples in the Indus Valley Civilization

1. Archaeologists haven’t found any structure resembling a temple or a palace or any monument.
2. In fact, most other contemporary civilisations have some central monuments.
3. The absence of any palace or temple despite structures like granaries and public baths led historians to believe that the Indus Valley society was an egalitarian one.

Advances in Architecture in Indus Valley Civilization

Harappa had very advanced granaries

• The granaries in Harappa used advanced technology that was seen in Rome 2800 years later.
• 6 granaries in 2 rows were found in Harappa.
• It was built on a raised platform to protect it from floods.
• The Granary was approximately 45 metres in length and approximately 15 metres in breadth.
  
  The Harappan cities had water-reservoirs
• At the Harappan city of Dholavira, 16 water reservoirs have been found.
• These reservoirs serve the twin purposes of protecting the city from floods, and ensuring water supply throughout the year, even during the dry season.
• They built dams that could control the flow of water and be stored in huge reservoirs.
  
  The Indus Valley Civilization used standard burnt bricks everywhere
• There were two types of bricks used in the Mature Harappan Period. One measured 7 X 14 X 28 cm and the other measured 10 X 20 X 40 cm in size.
• The bigger bricks were used to construct public buildings.
• The smaller bricks were used to build houses.
• Both types of bricks followed the 1:2:4 ratio.
  
  Ratio 1:2:4 in the Indus Valley Civilization Architecture
• The ratio 1:2:4 was not limited to bricks, but to all aspects.
• This ratio was followed in the houses, public structures, neighbourhood regions and even the city.
• Historians do not know whether this standardisation was owing to religious beliefs or just a convention followed by the builders.
  
  Harappan houses were multi-storied buildings
• So advanced was their architecture and masonry that Harappa had two and three-storied houses.
• These spacious houses had central courtyards and accessible flat terraces too.
  
  The Indus Valley houses could keep off dust and noise
• None of the houses in the Indus Valley had windows facing the main streets.
• The houses had only one door.
• All the windows and the door of the houses would open into the central courtyard.
• Thus, they were strategically designed to avoid noise and dust.
  
  Houses with attached bathrooms
• Indus Valley civilisation was perhaps the first in the world to have houses with attached bathrooms.
• They also had access to running water.
• In addition, they had toilets with advanced drainage facilities.
  
  The world’s first rainwater harvesting was here
• The Harappan civilisation had systems to store rainwater.
• They had complex and efficient water management systems.
• The world’s public water tank, named The Great Bath, was found here.
• The city of Mohenjo-Daro also had a large water management system with 80 public toilets and about 700 wells.
• The wells were strategically placed to supply water to every locality.

Reasons for the Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization

Around 1900 BCE, it started declining, leading to its eventual disappearance. Scholars have proposed several theories to explain this decline.  Some of them are-

1. Climate Change and Environmental Factors

• Shifting Monsoons: Studies suggest that the monsoon patterns changed, leading to prolonged droughts. A decrease in rainfall could have reduced agricultural productivity.
• Drying of Rivers: The mighty Saraswati River, believed to be crucial for the civilization, started drying up due to tectonic shifts, leading to water shortages.
• Floods and Natural Disasters: Some areas, like Mohenjo-Daro, show signs of sudden floods, which might have devastated settlements and disrupted life.

2. Tectonic Activity and Earthquakes

• The Indus region lies in a tectonically active zone, and several earthquakes might have altered river courses, causing water sources to disappear.
• A major earthquake could have led to the collapse of infrastructure and forced people to migrate.

3. Decline in Trade and Economy

• The Indus people had extensive trade links with Mesopotamia and Persia. Around 1900 BCE, Mesopotamian records show a decline in trade with the Indus region.
• Possible reasons for this decline:
  – Disruptions in trade routes.
  – Economic recession in partner regions.
  – Decline in demand for Indus goods like cotton, beads, and pottery.

4. Overpopulation and Resource Depletion

• Rapid urbanization led to overpopulation in cities like Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
• Excessive deforestation for firewood and construction might have caused soil erosion and decreased agricultural output.
• The increasing population may have put immense pressure on food and water resources, leading to migration.

5. Social and Political Factors

• Unlike contemporary civilizations, no evidence of a strong central government or ruling class has been found in the Indus Valley.
• The decentralized nature of governance might have made it difficult to handle crises like famine, droughts, or external threats.
• Internal conflicts or societal breakdown could have weakened the civilization from within.

6. Possible Invasion or External Attacks

• Some scholars argue that the arrival of the Aryans around 1500 BCE might have played a role in the decline.
• The Aryan Invasion Theory, proposed in the 19th century, suggests that Indo-Aryans invaded and overthrew the Indus people.
• However, modern research leans more toward gradual migration rather than violent invasion, making this theory debatable.

7. Gradual Migration and Cultural Absorption

• Rather than a sudden collapse, recent evidence suggests that the Indus people might have migrated eastward, blending with the later Vedic culture.
• Many elements of Indus Valley traditions, like town planning, drainage systems, and pottery, continued in later Indian civilizations.

The decline of the Indus Valley Civilization was likely due to a combination of environmental, economic, and social factors rather than a single catastrophic event. While mysteries still remain, modern research continues to uncover new insights into one of the most advanced early civilizations of the world.

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Possible Questions–

1. General Questions on Indus Valley Civilization

1. Discuss the unique features of urban planning and architecture in the Indus Valley Civilization.
2. What does the archaeological evidence from the Indus Valley Civilization suggest about its social and economic structure?
3. Explain the significance of the drainage and sanitation systems in the Indus Valley Civilization. How do they compare with modern urban planning?
4. Critically examine the reasons for the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization.

2. Indus Valley and Its Cultural Aspects

6. Evaluate the extent of trade and commerce in the Indus Valley Civilization. How did it contribute to its prosperity?

3. Indus Valley Civilization and Its Relevance Today

7. What lessons can modern India learn from the urban planning and water management techniques of the Indus Valley Civilization?

8. How does the Indus Valley Civilization contribute to India’s cultural identity and heritage conservation efforts?

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PYQ-2015-
The ancient civilization in the Indian subcontinent differed from those of Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece in that its cultural traditions have been preserved without a breakdown to the present day. Comment.- 12.5 Marks, 200 words.

For further insights and a comprehensive analysis of above question, I recommend referring to this article- https://upscmatters.com/the-ancient-civilization-in-the-indian-subcontinent/

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They cover key concepts that will boost your preparation! 🚀

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