1.1.2 Indus Valley Civilisation notes

1. 1.1.2.1Harappan civilisation: discovery, extent and chronology

   The Harappan (Indus) civilisation was India's first urban culture, announced to the world in 1924, spread over more than a million square kilometres of north-west India and Pakistan, and at its mature peak around 2600–1900 BCE.

   Advanced · 5 min · Full course
2. 1.1.2.2Major Harappan sites and what each is known for

   Each major Harappan site is remembered for a signature find: the Great Bath at Mohenjodaro, granaries at Harappa, the dockyard at Lothal, the ploughed field at Kalibangan, water works at Dholavira.

   Advanced · 4 min · Full course
3. 1.1.2.3Harappan town planning and drainage

   Harappan cities were laid out on a plan: a raised citadel, a gridded lower town, standard-sized bricks, and the first covered drainage system of the ancient world.

   Advanced · 4 min · Full course
4. 1.1.2.4Harappan economy: agriculture, crafts and trade with Mesopotamia

   The Harappans combined irrigated farming with specialised crafts and long-distance trade, exporting beads and cotton goods and importing metals and precious stones, with Mesopotamia as a major partner.

   Advanced · 4 min · Full course
5. 1.1.2.5Harappan religion, society, seals and script

   Harappan belief and society are read from seals, figurines and burials, since the script has not been deciphered and no temple or palace can be firmly identified.

   Advanced · 4 min · Full course
6. 1.1.2.6Decline of the Harappan civilisation: theories

   The cities of the Harappan civilisation declined from about 1900 BCE, and no single cause explains it; current opinion favours a mix of drying climate, changing rivers and loosening trade, with people moving to new regions.

   Advanced · 4 min · Full course

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