📖 Harappan Civilization

📚 Chapter Overview

The Indus Valley Civilization (also called Harappan Civilization) was the first urban civilization of India, flourishing between 2500 BC and 1900 BC. It was a Bronze Age civilization known for its advanced town planning, drainage systems, and standardized bricks. The civilization was discovered in 1921 by Dayaram Sahni at Harappa and later at Mohenjodaro by R.D. Banerjee in 1922.

Discovery and Major Sites

The Harappan Civilization was discovered in 1921 at Harappa (on the banks of Ravi river in Punjab, Pakistan) by Dayaram Sahni. In 1922, Mohenjodaro (on the banks of Indus river in Sindh, Pakistan) was discovered by R.D. Banerjee. Other major sites include: Lothal (Gujarat) - a port city with a dockyard; Dholavira (Gujarat) - known for water conservation; Kalibangan (Rajasthan) - had ploughed field and fire altars; Rakhigarhi (Haryana) - the largest Indian site; Chanhudaro - a bead-making center; Banawali (Haryana); and Daimabad (Maharashtra) - the southernmost site.

Town Planning and Architecture

Harappan town planning was remarkable. Cities followed a grid pattern with streets intersecting at right angles (90°). The main streets ran North-South and East-West. Standardized burnt bricks (ratio 4:2:1) were used for construction. Cities were divided into a citadel (raised, for rulers/elite) and a lower town (for common people). The Great Bath of Mohenjodaro was a large waterproof tank. Granaries were used for storage. Houses had private wells and bathrooms connected to a sophisticated drainage system.

Art, Crafts, and Seals

The Harappans were skilled artisans. The Bronze 'Dancing Girl' statue from Mohenjodaro is famous. The steatite (soapstone) seals depicting unicorns, bulls, and other animals are iconic - over 2,000 seals have been found. The Pashupati seal shows a figure in yogic posture. Pottery was red ware with black designs. Bead-making was a major industry at Chanhudaro and Lothal. They worked with gold, silver, copper, bronze, but NOT iron.

Society and Economy

The Harappans were primarily agricultural, growing wheat, barley, peas, sesame, and cotton (the first to grow cotton). They traded with Mesopotamia (called 'Meluhha' by Mesopotamians). The script is pictographic with ~400 signs and remains undeciphered. Society was relatively egalitarian with no clear evidence of temples, palaces, or standing armies. The decline (~1900 BC) is attributed to climate change, river shifts, deforestation, and possibly floods or invasion.

Important Features

The Indus Valley Civilization is known as the first urbanization of India. It was a Bronze Age civilization - they knew bronze (copper + tin) but not iron. The grid pattern of town planning is a hallmark. The drainage system was the most advanced in the ancient world. Standardized weights and measures (in ratios of 16) were used. The Great Bath measured 12m x 7m x 2.4m. The Great Granary at Harappa was the largest building.

🎯 Key Facts for Quick Revision

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