Indus Valley Civilization (2900 – 1700 BC)

• Indus valley civilization is older than chalcolithic culture but was far more developed.
• Marked the beginning of Bronze age civilization

Sights of Indus Valley Civilization

Developments in Indus Valley Civilization

• Citadel / Acropolis at cities for member of ruling class (west side) & brick houses below citadel in town for commoners
• Remarkable grid system of roads → Roads cutting at right angle to each other.
• Large scale use of burnt bricks & total absence of stone buildings
• Remarkable underground drainage system connecting all houses & streets covered by bricks / stone slabs
• Agriculture technology was well developed (But no use of ploughshare): Wheat, Rice, Barley, Peas etc. + Domesticated large scale of animals
• Cotton was 1st produced by Indus people hence Greeks called it Sindon which is derived from Sindh.

• Harappan were 1st to produce silver in the world + wore gold, silver & beads Jewelery.
• Practiced boat making, seal making, Bronze smith, Weavers etc.
• Granaries & seals show Harappan carried on considerable trade but only through Barter system
• No temples has been found at any of the site hence can be said that it was ruled by merchants not priests
• Worshiped Goddess Earth, Pipal Tree, Pashupati Mahadeva & Animals (Bull / Unicorn Rhino)
• 1^st to invent the art of writing – Right to left – (Pictographic only → Not deciphered so far)
• Used weights for trade (Mostly in multiple of 16) & Bronze made marked sticks for measurements
• Were expert in Potter’s wheel & pottery making
• Their greatest artistic creation was ” Seals”.
• Mostly limestone was used for sculptures.

Theory of Decline of Indus Valley Civilization

• Natural Calamities such as floods, Earthquakes etc.
• Decrease in Land fertility
• Outbreak of an epidemic
• Decline of trade & Invasion of Aryan sported in Ashoka’s times from Persia. There is abundant evidence of stone masons mark similar to those at Persepolis (Persia).