Chapter - 5
Harappan Civilization (Indus Valley Civilization)
The Indus Valley Civilization is one of the earliest urban civilizations in the world, along with Mesopotamian Civilization.
Indian Archaeologists of Harappan Civilization
1. Rakhal Das Banerji
- One of the first to discover Mohenjo-daro (1922)
- Played a key role in identifying it as an ancient civilization
2. Daya Ram Sahni:- Discovered and excavated Harappa (1921)
Important Sites:-Major cities discovered include:
Sites Location Features
- Lothal Gujrat A dockyard was found where ships docked
- Kalibangan Rajasthan Terracotta bangles found here
- Banawali Haryana Well constructed fort town
- Suktagendor Pakistan Substantial stone walls and gateways
- Alamgirpur Uttar Pradesh Easternmost Harappan settlement
- Dholavira Gujrat Water Reservior found to store water for agricultue
Location of Mohenjodaro:- Mohenjo-daro is located in:
- Sindh province of Pakistan
- On the bank of the Indus River
Meaning of Mohenjodaro:- The name Mohenjo-daro means:
- “Mound of the Dead”
Where Harappan Sites Have Been Found:- Sites of the Indus Valley Civilization have been found in:
In the North:
- Punjab (India & Pakistan)
- Haryana
- Jammu region
Other regions also include:
- Gujarat (e.g., Dholavira, Lothal)
- Rajasthan (e.g., Kalibangan)
- Sindh (Pakistan)
Features of Harappan Civilization
1. Town Planning
- Cities were well-planned with a grid system
- Roads crossed each other at right angles
- Divided into:-Citadel (upper town) – for rulers/important buildings
- Lower town – for common people
2. Drainage System
- Highly advanced and scientific
- Covered drains along streets
- Each house connected to drainage system
- Shows great civic sense
3. Houses
- Made of baked bricks
- Had:- Rooms, Bathrooms, Wells
Town Planning in Harappan Cities:- Cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro show excellent town planning. Key Features:
- Cities were built on a grid pattern
- Roads crossed each other at right angles
- Streets were wide and straight
- Houses were made of baked bricks
- Every house had proper drainage connection
- This shows a well-organized and planned urban system
Division of the City:- Harappan and Mohenjodaro cities were divided into two main parts:
1. Citadel (Acropolis)
- The upper part of the city, built on a raised platform
- Strongly built with thick walls
Used for:
- Important buildings
- Public structures (like granaries, Great Bath)
- Possibly used by rulers or elite people
- Example: The Great Bath at Mohenjodaro
2. Lower Town
- The lower part of the city
- Where common people lived
- Had houses, markets, and streets
- Well-planned like the citadel but less fortified
1. The Great Bath
- Found at Mohenjo-daro
- Rectangular structure
- A large public water tank
- Made of bricks and waterproof material
- Had steps on both sides
- Used for:- Religious rituals, Public bathing
- Shows importance of cleanliness and ritual practices
2. Granaries
- Large buildings used to store grains
- Found at:- Harappa, Mohenjodaro
- Built on raised platforms for safety
- Suggests:- Organized food storage system, Control over agriculture
3. Drainage System
- One of the best features of Harappan cities
- Covered drains along streets
- Each house connected to main drains
- Regular cleaning system
- Shows advanced civic sense and planning
4. Governance (Administration)
- No clear evidence of kings, but:
- Cities were well-planned
- Uniform system across regions
- Suggests:- Strong central authority
- Possibly organized government or council
5. Social Divisions
- Society was not clearly divided like later caste system
- Rich,who live in Citadel,
- Second:- small merchant, craftmen, artisans live in lower town.
- Third:- the laburers who lived in outer limit
- Differences seen in:- Size of houses (rich vs common people)
- Groups included:- Farmers, Traders, Craftsmen
- Indicates a simple and organized society
6. Economy
- Based on:- Agriculture (wheat, barley), Trade
- Trade with Mesopotamian Civilization (Modern Iraq) and Afghanistan
- Used:- Seals, Standard weights and measures
- Barter system were used for trade.
- Other occupations:- Weaving, pottery, jewellery, metal work
- Shows a developed economic system
7. Art and Craft
- Highly skilled craftsmen
- Famous objects:- Dancing Girl (bronze statue), Priest-King (stone sculpture)
- Made:- Pottery, Jewelry, Beads
- Shows creativity and technical skills
8. Religion:- Worship of:
- Mother Goddess (fertility)
- Animals and nature
- Seal showing Pashupati
- No large temples found
- Religion was simple and nature-based
9. Decline of Civilization:- Possible reasons:
- Floods
- Climate change
- Earthquakes
- Decline in trade
- River changes
- Some writers beieve that Harappan cities were destroyed by the invaders.
Mesopotamian Civilization:- The Mesopotamian Civilization was one of the earliest four river valley civilizations, like the Harappan Civilization.
The word Mesopotamia comes from Greek:
- “Meso” = middle
- “Potamos” = river
- So, Mesopotamia means “Land between two rivers.”
These rivers are:
- Tigris River
- Euphrates River
1. Extent of the Civilization:- It was situated in Western Asia. Around 4000 BCE to 2000 BCE.
The Mesopotamian Civilization spread over:- Region between:
- Tigris River
- Euphrates River
- Present-day Iraq
- Included areas of:- Syria, Turkey, Iran
- Southermost region called Sumer and its people Sumerians
- Northwest regions were know as Babylonia and Akkad
- The highland in the north was called Assyria
- It was a large and influential civilization
2. Mesopotamian Society:- Society was divided into 3 classes:
- Upper class – kings, priests, officials
- Middle class – farmers,traders, artisans
- Lower class – slaves these people were engage in agriculture
- Society was hierarchical (unequal)
3. Family Life
- Family was the basic unit of society
- Father was head of the family
- Women had limited rights, but could:- Own property (in some cases)
- Marriage and inheritance were controlled by laws
4. Town Planning:- Cities were not as well-planned as Harappan cities
- City was divided in to three part:- The Sacred area, The walled city on a mound, An outer town.
- Ziggurat:- Sacred area of a main temple
- Sacred area was also administrative centre
- Ur:- one of the greatest city
5. Religion
- People believed in many gods (polytheism)
- Each city had its own god:- An,Enlil, Enki, Marduk, Ishtar, and Nabu
- They believed in life after death
- Built large temples called Ziggurat
6. Economy:- Based mainly on:
- Agriculture (wheat, barley)
- Irrigation used water from rivers
- Also involved:- Craft production, Trade
- Cloth making
- Domisticated animals
7. Trade and Commerce
- Trade was very important
- Traded with:- Indus Valley Civilization, Egypt and other regions
- Exported:- Textiles, Grains
- Imported:- Metals, Precious stones
- Used barter system (exchange of goods)
8. Art and Architecture
- Made:- Pottery, Jewelry, Sculptures
- Hanging Gardens of Babylon :- built by Nebuchadnezzar II, One of the seven wonders of the world
- Developed:- Wheel, Plough
- Architecture:, Ziggurats (temples), Columna, domes, vaults and arches
Achievements of Mesopotamian Civilization
1. Script and Literature
- Mesopotamians developed Cuneiform, the script was written right to left
- Written on clay tablets using a stylus
- One of the earliest writing systems in the world
- Henry Rawlinson:- British officercwho deciphered script
- Literature:- Famous work: Epic of Gilgamesh
- It talks about:- A heroic king, Life, death, and friendship
- Shows development of writing and storytelling
2. Hammurabi’s Code of Law
- Given by Babylon king Hammurabi (1792-1750 BCE)
- One of the earliest written law codes
- Suggest punishment for those who commit offence
- Punishment depend on nature and circumstances of crime
- Consisted of 282 laws
- Inscribed on a stone slab (stele) about 8 feet high
- Kept in the temple of Marduk (main god of Babylon)
3. Progress in Science:- Mesopotamians made important advances in:
- Mathematics:- Developed number system (base 60)
- Used for:- Time (60 minutes, 60 seconds), Angles
- Astronomy:- Studied stars and planets, Made calendars
- Medicine:- Basic knowledge of diseases and treatments
- Shows early scientific thinking and observation
4. Decline of Mesopotamian Civilization
- Continuous wars and invasions
- Weak rulers over time
- Environmental problems like:
- Floods
- Soil damage
- Political instability
- Civilization gradually declined and was replaced by other empires
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