Harappan civilization (indus valley civilization)
- 1. 2500-1500 B.C.E Class 11th NCERT
- 2. It’s called Harappan because this civilization was discovered first in 1921 at the modern site of Harappa situated in the province of west Punjab in Pakistan. Its discovered by Daya Ram Sahni in 1921 B.C. The Indus Valley Civilization named by Sir John Marshal. The maximum number of sites were explored by S.R Rao, in Gujarat (190 sites), at present there are 350 sites have been excavated. The Largest Indus Valley Civilization site is Mohenjo-daro, and the smallest site is Allahdino. The largest sites in India Dholavira and Rakhigarhi, The three nucleus sites are Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and Dholavira.
- 3. Most developed Culture It existed about 1000 years About 12,99,600 sq. km. it spread Larger than Pakistan and Bigger than ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia Nearly 1500 Harappan sites are known so far in the subcontinent, most of them are post Harappan sites including Bhagwanpura generally lie on the bank of hakra ghaggar Bronze age Civilization
- 5. Few from 1500 sites were regarded as cities In which, two were most important, 1- Harappa in Panjab and 2- Mohenjo Daro in Sindh, situated at a distance of 483 km, which was forming parts of Pakistan. About 130 km south of Mohenjo-daro in Sindh, there was 3rd city lay at Chahnu-daro, 4th at lothal in Gujarat(head of the gulf of combay), 5th city at Kalibangan(black bangles), in northern Rajasthan, 6th was Banawali situated in Hissar(dist-Haryana) Rakhigarhi site was bigger than the Dholavira
- 8. Harappa and Mohenjo-daro each had its own citadel(west higher area known as citadel. Below the citadel in each city lay a lower town (was lesser height) containing brick houses, they followed the grid system, created right angles. They used burnt bricks for bathroom construction and etc. water supplied by wells Mohenjo-daro had its largest building(45.71 meters long and 15.23m wide) as granary(where grains were kept) but in the citadel of Harappa found as many as six granaries which covers approximately same area as great granary at Mohenjo-daro.
- 9. The drainage system of Mohenjo-daro was very impressive , the drains were interconnected to roads and houses like modern era(water flowed from the houses to the streets which had drains), which also been found at Banawali. Every house had its own courtyard and bathroom In Kalibangan many houses had their wells. The drainage system of Harappa is almost unique, perhaps no other bronze age civilization gave so much attention to health and cleanliness as the Harappa did.
- 10. Comparatively rainless , the Indus region is not so fertile these days, at present it has only a rainfall of about 15cm. In the fourth century B.C the Alexander(the historian) informs that sindh was fertile part of country, as in earlier times Indus valley regions possessed more natural vegetation which attracted more rainfall, far more reason of the fertility seems the annual inundation in Indus river. It supplied timber fuel for baking bricks on a large scale. It destroyed by the extension of agriculture, large scale grazing and supply of fuel. Indus carried far more alluvial silt then the Nile in Egypt.
- 11. No ploughshare has been discovered, but the Furrows discovered in the Pre-Harappan phase at Kalibangan. Gabarband and nalas enclosed by dams for storing water were a feature in parts of Baluchistan and Afghanistan, but channel or canal irrigation seems absent. The Indus people produced wheat, barley, rai, peas, etc. They produced two types of wheat and barley, a good quantity of barley has been discovered at Banawali, accept this they produced sesamum(found in tropical and subtropical areas)and mustard. Foodgrains were stored in huge granaries in both Mohenjo- daro and Harappa and posibly in Kalibangan. Indus people were earliest to produce cotton, because cotton was the first produced in this area Greeks called it sindon, which is derived from sindh.
- 12. Although the Harappans practiced agriculture, animals were kept on a large scale. Oxen, buffaloes, goats, sheep and pigs were domesticated. Humped bull were favored by Harappans. Dogs and cats regarded as pets, signs of their feet have been noticed, they also kept asses and camels. Evidence of the horse comes from a superficial level of Mohenjo-daro and from a doubtful terracotta figurine from lothal, and remains of the horses reported from Surkotada, situated in west Gujarat. Elephants were well known to the Harappans, Mesopotamians produced the same food grains and domesticated the same animals.
- 14. Regarding the Indus Valley Civilization, consider the following statements:(2011) It was predominantly a secular civilization and the religious element, though present, did not dominate the scene, During this period, cotton was used for manufacturing textiles in India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a.) 1 only (b.) 2 only (c.) Both 1 and 2 (d.) Neither 1 nor 2
- 15. Which of the following characterizes/ characterize the people of Indus Civilization? (2013) They possessed great palaces and temples. They worshipped both male and female deities. They employed horse-drawn chariots in warfare. Select the correct statement/ statements using the codes given below. (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (e) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None of the statements given above is correct