Indus Valley Civilization

By: Khawaja Zubair Nadeem

BS-EE 2011-15

Civilization defined

• The stage of human social development and organization which is considered most advanced.

DEFINITION

• The society, culture and lifestyle of people in a particular area.

OR SIMPLY

INTRODUCTION

• A bronze age civilization- Also known as Mature harappan civilization (2600-1900 BC)• Thrived in the basins of Indus river profiting from the fertility of the land• Had a population of 5 million at its peak• People were mostly tradesmen or artisans• Known for

― futuristic urban planning ― astonishing architecture― remarkable handicrafts― work in the field of metallurgy

DISCOVERY

• Minor excavations in 1827,1831,1853 and so on bore no or very less fruit

• Remained unknown until the major excavation under Sir John Marshall

• Discovery of a civilization

rivalling those of Egypt

and Mesopotamia– former

old world civilizations

REGIONAL SPREAD

• Sites cover most of the modern Pakistan and northwestern India

• Area covered is about 1.3 million square miles

• The largest among the old world civilizations

• Over 1050 sites; scattered across the area

SETTLEMENTS

Inland settlements

Dholavira Rupar Ganeriwala Cholistan Rakhigarhi

Coastal settlements

Lothal Sutkagan Dor Manda

Gomal river

valleyJammu Alamgirp

ur

ARCHITECTURE

• The cities are build on numerous mounds (elevated grounds)

• Advanced architecture― Impressive dockyards― Graineries― Warehouses

• Walled city (protection from flood water)• Well planned streets• Proper sanitation and drainage system• Baked brick houses• Well built bathrooms• Wells throughout the city• Remarkable similarity of architecture all

over the civilization• No large monumental structures

GOVERNMENT

• Due to the similarity in artefacts and similar planning of the cities; even standardized

ratio of brick sizeSingle state

• The city is built on series of elevated grounds (mounds) thus leading to a conclusion that it might had been governed by elected officials

perhaps one from each mound

Several rulers

• There is no evidence of kings or thrones so it is suggested that every one enjoyed an equal

statusNo ruler

DIFEERENT THEORIES ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT

LIVELIHOOD

Most of the people must have been TRADERS or ARTISANS• Different types of seals and standardized weights suggest a system of trade• The advanced detailing in the astonishing artefacts show that there were great artisans among them• Materials brought in from distant regions were found

LIVING STANDARD

• Some houses larger than others BUT most of them similar in size and build

• The society is an example of egalitarianism• Low wealth concentration though clear social

levelling• Access to water supplies and drainage facilities• Graineries • Ornaments made out of gold and ivory• No large monument except “THE GREAT BATH” - a

public bath probably for religious rituals• Hygiene and cleanliness were among the high

priorities of the society• Evidence of quality municipal planning and

efficient municipal government

RELIGION

• Seals bearing depiction of gods, goddesses and animals point towards Buddhism and Hinduism

• The seated human like figure shown is the so called “proto-shiva” (Hindu god)

• The religion to which the evidences point emerged in the late 1000 BC

• No evident religious buildings but some structures do serve to the ambiguity being what looks as remains of temples

• Buried human bodies: evidence of a cemetery • Burial urns with ashes: evidences of cremation

SO• The religious beliefs among the dwellers of this civilization

remain uncertain until specific evidence is found

TECHNOLOGY

• Measurements Great accuracy in measurement in measuring mass length and time―MASS:

― standard weights hexahedron in shape were found weights in the ratio 5:2:1 (0.1,0.2,0.5 ; 1,2,5 ; 10 20 50 units)

―Each unit measuring about 28 grams―Same as present day English imperial ounce system

―LENGTH: ―a scale with a precision of 1.704 mm was found near lothal―The smallest in the bronze age

TECHNOLOGY

• MetallurgyThe people knew unconventional techniques of metallurgy and produced

―Brass―Copper―Bronze―Ivory

These materials were used in the making of ornaments utensils seals and artefacts etc

TECHNOLOGY

• Knowledge of dentistryIn 2006 it was announced that the oldest evidence of drilling teeth in a living human was found in Mehrgarh (IVC)This claim was made on the basis of finding eleven drilled teeth in nine men excavated from what supposed to be a graveyard.

ARTEFACTS AND HANDICRAFTS

DECLINE

• It was proposed by Sir Mortimer Wheeler in 1953 that the reason for the decline of the IVC was the invasion by an Indo-European tribe “ARYANS”

• Rejected because no evidence of war or fights were found• Actually, people abandoned the region because of:

―IMIGRATION of new people (Aryans) in the area―Decline in trade ―Climatic changes- Indus valley got cooler and drier with the course of

time―Decrease in rainfall and thus inadequate supply of water for irrigation ―Changes in the course of the river

• many elements of its culture were found in the later cultures

POINT TO WONDER

Sir John Marshall is known to have reacted with surprise when he saw the famous statuette known as “the dancing girl”

He said:

“when I first saw them I found it difficult to believe that they were prehistoric. Modeling such as this was unknown in the ancient worlds up to the age of Greece,

I thought that these figures had found

their way into levels some 3000 years

older to which they properly belonged”

• Social studies class 8th (Punjab textbook board)

• History in focus 6 by Teresa Crompton

• Lecture on Indus Valley Civilization by Mr Roy Mathur (University of York)

• http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/civilization

• http://science.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology/mohenjo-daro

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_valley_civilization

• www.Worldhistorychart.com

• Images:―www.Wikipedia.com

―En.Wikimedia.org

―www.flickriver.com

―www.thunderbolts.info

―www.nationalgeographic.com

―www.Harappa.com

REFERENCES