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Indian History
What was the Indus Valley Civilization? When and where did it exist, and what are some of its notable features?
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The Indus Valley Civilization, also known as the Harappan Civilization, was an ancient urban civilization that flourished in the region of the Indus River Valley, primarily in present-day Pakistan and western India. This remarkable civilization thrived between approximately 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE, making it one of the world’s oldest urban societies.
One of its most distinctive characteristics was its well-structured and meticulously planned cities. Cities like Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa showcased a sophisticated urban layout, with carefully designed streets, organized residential areas, and an intricate drainage system that efficiently managed waste and sanitation. The civilization’s remarkable achievements in engineering are evident in the construction of elaborate public buildings, such as the Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro. This large brick-built structure featured an advanced water management system, including wells and drains, indicating a mastery of hydraulic engineering.
The people of the Indus Valley Civilization were skilled in various crafts, including pottery, metallurgy, and textile production. They produced exquisite pottery with distinctive geometric designs and intricate patterns, showcasing their artistic sensibilities. The civilization also had a well-developed trade network, as evident from the discovery of seals and artifacts from distant regions like Mesopotamia.
Another notable aspect of the Indus Valley Civilization was its writing system. Although deciphering the script remains a challenge, the presence of numerous inscriptions on seals and pottery suggests a form of written communication.
Despite its achievements, the decline and eventual disappearance of the Indus Valley Civilization remain shrouded in mystery. Factors such as environmental changes, natural disasters, or invasions may have contributed to its decline, but the precise reasons remain speculative. Though its ultimate decline remains enigmatic, the Indus Valley Civilization stands as a testament to the remarkable achievements and ingenuity of our ancient ancestors.
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Indus Valley civilisation is a bronze-age civilisation, parallel to the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilisation in the chronology, which confirms the existence of life in the Indian subcontinent. The area of civilisation is spread across the current geographical boundaries of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mohenjodaro is the biggest Indus Valley city found till the date though cities like Harappa, Lothal, Dholavira and Rakhigarhi were prominent at the time of its existence. Mohenjodaro is assumed as the capital of the civilisation due to the presence of structures like the great bath and the presence of valuable materials like faience and carnelian.
Though it existed from 3300 BC to 1300 BC it had some of the most fascinating technologies which we have ever seen. The most important is the fascinating city planning which we can see in Mohenjodaro with the well-managed drainage system which is found to be connected to the bathrooms of every house, more the house is made in such a fashion that a single drainage could connect every house. Similarly, the city was divided into Cital and the lower town. Citadel was situated at a higher altitude than the lower town but was smaller in size. It is assumed that the citadel was the town centre and the lower town the residential area. Another magnificent structure is the great bath. It is considered a place of ritual significance though its actual use is still unknown to us. The civilisation was also famous for its intricate craft works which have been retrieved from different parts of the excavation sites. Much of the mysteries could be solved once the graphic Indus script, which is written from left to right is deciphered. That will lead to untangling of several mysteries which have been invoking curiosity around the world.
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