Indus Valley civilization facts for kids
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| Geographical range | Basins of the Indus River, Pakistan and the seasonal Ghaggar-Hakra river, northwest India and eastern Pakistan. |
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| Period | Bronze Age South Asia |
| Dates | c. 3300 – c. 1300 BCE |
| Type site | Harappa |
| Major sites | Harappa, Mohenjo-daro (27°19′45″N 68°08′20″E / 27.32917°N 68.13889°E), Dholavira, Ganeriwala, and Rakhigarhi |
| Preceded by | Mehrgarh |
| Followed by | Painted Grey Ware culture Cemetery H culture |
The Indus Valley Civilization was an ancient culture that existed during the Bronze Age. It lasted from about 3300 BC to 1300 BC. Its most important time was between 2700 BC and 1700 BC.
This civilization was located in the Indian subcontinent. It grew along the Indus River and the Ghaggar-Hakra River. Today, these areas are in Pakistan, northwest India, and Afghanistan.
Archaeologists first found signs of this civilization in the 1880s. The first city they dug up was Harappa. Because of this, the civilization is also called the 'Harappan Civilization'.
The Indus Valley Civilization covered a very large area. It stretched from Balochistan in Pakistan to Gujarat in India. The people were skilled builders. Their cities showed clever design and planning. Buildings often had two or more floors. They even had bathrooms connected to the rooms.
One special thing about their cities was their amazing drainage system. Brick-lined drains ran along every street. Some bricks could be removed. This made it easy to clean and check the drains.
Harappan traders used seals on their goods. These seals helped make sure that packages were not opened during travel. We still don't know how to read their writing system.
In 1842, Charles Masson wrote about the Indus Valley sites. But few people paid attention. Later, in 1921-22, John Marshall led the first big archaeological dig at Harappa.
Contents
Discovery and how it was found
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The ruins of Harappa were first written about in 1842. Charles Masson described them in his book. Locals told him about an old city that was very large.
In 1856, General Alexander Cunningham visited Harappa. He later became the head of the archaeological survey of northern India. British engineers, John and William Brunton, were building a railway line nearby. They were told about the ruined city.
The engineers found many hard, well-burnt bricks there. They used these bricks to build the railway line. The city of Brahminabad was almost completely used for railway ballast. Bricks from Harappa were also used for 93 miles (150 km) of track. This track ran from Karachi to Lahore.
In 1872–75, Alexander Cunningham published the first Harappan stamp seal. About 50 years later, more seals were found. This led to bigger digs led by Sir John Hubert Marshall in 1921–22. These digs led to the discovery of the entire civilization.
By 1931, much of Mohenjo-daro had been dug up. In 2010, floods in India damaged the site of Jognakhera. Ancient copper furnaces were found there. The site was covered by almost 10 feet of water.
Where the civilization was located
The Indus Valley Civilization covered most of Pakistan. It also included parts of northwestern India and Afghanistan. It stretched from Balochistan in the west to Uttar Pradesh in the east. To the north, it reached northeastern Afghanistan. To the south, it went as far as Maharashtra.
Indus Valley sites are often found near rivers. But some were also on the old seacoast, like Balakot. Others were on islands, such as Dholavira.
Early Harappan period
The Early Harappan period is called the Ravi Phase. It lasted from about 3300 BC to 2800 BC. It is linked to the Hakra Phase, found in the Ghaggar-Hakra River Valley. This period came before the Kot Diji Phase (2800–2600 BC).
The first examples of the Indus script are from the 3rd millennium BC. Recent discoveries at Bhirrana, India, show that pottery from this area dates back to 7500 BC. This makes Bhirrana the oldest site in the Indus Valley Civilization.
Trade networks connected this culture with other areas. They traded for raw materials like lapis lazuli for making beads. By this time, villagers had started to grow many crops. These included peas, sesame seeds, dates, and cotton. They also raised animals, like the water buffalo. Early Harappan communities grew into large cities by 2600 BC. This is when the Mature Harappan phase began.
Mature Harappan period
By 2600 BC, the Early Harappan communities had become big urban centers. Important cities included Harappa, Ganeriwala, and Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan. In India, there were Dholavira, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi, Rupar, and Lothal. More than 1,052 cities and settlements have been found in total. Most are near the Indus Rivers and their smaller rivers.
Cities and urban planning
The Indus Valley Civilization had a very advanced urban culture. This means they were the first to build cities in this region. The high quality of their cities shows they planned them well. They also cared a lot about cleanliness.
Cities like Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, and Rakhigarhi had the world's first known urban sanitation systems. Homes got water from wells. Waste water from bathing rooms went into covered drains. These drains ran along the main streets. Removable bricks allowed for easy cleaning.
Houses usually opened only to inner courtyards and smaller lanes. The ancient Indus drainage systems were much better than those in other cities at the time. They were even more efficient than some systems in Pakistan and India today.
The Harappans' building skills were impressive. They built large dockyards, granaries, warehouses, and strong walls. The huge walls around Indus cities likely protected them from floods. They might also have helped prevent fights.
The purpose of the citadel (a strong fortress) is still debated. Unlike Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, the Indus cities had no huge palaces or temples. There is no clear sign of kings, armies, or priests.
Most city dwellers were probably traders or artisans (skilled workers). They lived in neighborhoods with others who did the same job. Materials from far away were used to make seals, beads, and other items. Beautiful glazed faïence beads were found. Steatite seals show animals, people (perhaps gods), and writing. Some seals were used to stamp clay on trade goods. They likely had other uses too.
The number of settlements in the Indus plains grew over time. This was due to hunting and gathering.
Technology and inventions
The people of the Indus Civilization were very good at measuring. They measured length, weight, and time with great accuracy. They were among the first to create a system of standard weights and measures.
Harappans also developed new ways to work with metals. They made copper, bronze, lead, and tin. Their engineering skills were amazing, especially in building docks.
In 2001, archaeologists found something surprising. They studied the remains of two men from Mehrgarh, Pakistan. They discovered that the people of the early Harappan period knew about dentistry.
A touchstone with gold streaks was found in Banawali. This tool was probably used to test how pure gold was. This method is still used in some parts of India today.
Arts and crafts
Many beautiful objects have been found at Indus sites. These include sculptures, seals, pottery, gold jewelry, and detailed figures. These figures were made from terracotta, bronze, and steatite.
Some gold, terracotta, and stone figures show girls in dancing poses. This suggests they had some form of dance. Terracotta figures of animals like cows, bears, monkeys, and dogs were also found.
Many crafts were used to make necklaces, bangles, and other ornaments. These crafts included working with shells, ceramics, and making beads from agate and glazed steatite.
Some makeup and toiletry items were also found. Terracotta female figures (around 2800–2600 BC) had red color on their hair part.
Seals from Mohenjo-daro show a figure standing on its head. Another figure sits cross-legged, like in a yoga pose. This figure is sometimes called a Pashupati. Sir John Marshall thought it looked like the Hindu god, Shiva.
A harp-like instrument is shown on an Indus seal. Two shell objects found at Lothal also suggest they used stringed musical instruments.
Trade and transportation
The Indus civilization's economy relied a lot on trade. This trade was made easier by big improvements in transport.
The Indus Valley Civilization might have been the first to use wheeled transport. They likely used bullock carts, which look like those still seen in South Asia today. They also used boats.
Most of their boats were probably small, flat-bottomed crafts. They might have been moved by sails. These were similar to boats on the Indus River today. But there is also proof of larger, sea-going boats. Archaeologists found a huge canal and a docking area at the coastal city of Lothal in India. A large network of canals was also used for watering crops.
Indus artifacts have been found in many places. This shows that their trade networks covered a huge area. This included parts of Afghanistan, the coastal areas of Persia, northern and western India, and Mesopotamia. Studies of teeth from people buried at Harappa suggest some residents came from outside the Indus valley. There is also some evidence of trade with Crete and possibly Egypt.
A large sea trade network existed between the Harappan and Mesopotamian civilizations. This started as early as the middle Harappan Phase. Long-distance sea trade became possible with new boat designs. They built boats with planks and a single central mast. These masts held sails made of woven reeds or cloth.
Writing system
Between 400 and 600 different Indus symbols have been found. They are on seals, small tablets, ceramic pots, and other materials. One "signboard" was found at Dholavira. It seems to have hung over the gate of the inner city.
Most Indus inscriptions are very short, only four or five characters long. The longest one found on a single surface is 17 signs long. It is less than 1 inch (2.54 cm) square. The longest inscription on any object has 26 symbols. It was found on three different sides of one object.
In a 2009 study, scientists used computers to compare the Indus script. They looked at patterns of symbols. They compared them to different languages and other systems, like DNA. They found that the Indus script's pattern is more like spoken words.
However, the messages on the seals are too short for computers to fully decode them.
Collapse of the civilization
Around 1800 BC, the Indus Valley Civilization started to decline slowly. By about 1700 BC, most of the cities were abandoned.
Images for kids
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Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro, Sindh province, Pakistan, showing the Great Bath in the foreground. Mohenjo-daro, on the right bank of the Indus River, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first site in South Asia to be so declared.
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Miniature votive images or toy models from Harappa, c. 2500 BCE. Terracotta figurines indicate the yoking of zebu oxen for pulling a cart and the presence of the chicken, a domesticated jungle fowl.
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Major sites and extent of the Indus Valley civilisation
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Alexander Cunningham, the first director general of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), interpreted a Harappan stamp seal in 1875.
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R. D. Banerji, an officer of the ASI, visited Mohenjo-daro in 1919–1920, and again in 1922–1923, postulating the site's far-off antiquity.
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John Marshall, the director-general of the ASI from 1902 to 1928, who oversaw the excavations in Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, shown in a 1906 photograph
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Terracotta boat in the shape of a bull, and female figurines. Kot Diji period (c. 2800–2600 BC).
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Skull of a Harappan, Indian Museum
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Harappan weights found in the Indus Valley, (National Museum, New Delhi)
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Archaeological discoveries suggest that trade routes between Mesopotamia and the Indus were active during the 3rd millennium BCE, leading to the development of Indus–Mesopotamia relations.
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Boat with direction-finding birds to find land. Model of Mohenjo-daro tablet, 2500–1750 BCE.(National Museum, New Delhi). Flat-bottomed river row-boats appear in two Indus seals, but their seaworthiness is debatable.
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Ten Indus characters from the northern gate of Dholavira, dubbed the Dholavira signboard
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The Pashupati seal, showing a seated figure surrounded by animals
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Swastika seals of Indus Valley civilisation in British Museum
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Late Harappan figures from a hoard at Daimabad, 2000 BCE (Prince of Wales Museum, Bombay)
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Painted pottery urns from Harappa (Cemetery H culture, c. 1900–1300 BCE), National Museum, New Delhi
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Impression of a cylinder seal of the Akkadian Empire, with label: "The Divine Sharkalisharri Prince of Akkad, Ibni-Sharrum the Scribe his servant". The long-horned buffalo is thought to have come from the Indus Valley, and testifies to exchanges with Meluhha, the Indus Valley civilisation. Circa 2217–2193 BCE. Louvre Museum.
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Cubical weights, standardised throughout the Indus cultural zone; 2600-1900 BC; chert; British Museum (London)
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Mohenjo-daro beads; 2600-1900 BC; carnelian and terracotta; British Museum
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Ram-headed bird mounted on wheels, probably a toy; 2600-1900 BC; terracotta; Guimet Museum (Paris)
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Reclining mouflon; 2600–1900 BC; marble; length: 28 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)
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Male dancing torso; 2400-1900 BC; limestone; height: 9.9 cm; National Museum (New Delhi)
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Stamp seal and modern impression: unicorn and incense burner (?); 2600-1900 BC; burnt steatite; 3.8 × 3.8 × 1 cm; Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Seal with two-horned bull and inscription; 2010 BC; steatite; overall: 3.2 x 3.2 cm; Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland, Ohio, US)
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Seal with unicorn and inscription; 2010 BC; steatite; overall: 3.5 x 3.6 cm; Cleveland Museum of Art
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See also
In Spanish: Civilización del valle del Indo para niños
