The Indus Valley Civilisation
1. Discovery — A Lost World Found
The Indus Valley Civilisation was discovered in the 1920s when ARCHAEOLOGISTS found the ruins of two ancient cities: HARAPPA and MOHENJODARO.
'For THOUSANDS of years, the cities of the Indus Valley lay BURIED under the earth. In the 1920s, archaeologists digging in Punjab and Sindh (now in Pakistan) UNCOVERED something AMAZING — the remains of one of the WORLD'S OLDEST civilisations.'
Key Details
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Time period | About 2600 — 1900 BCE |
| Location | Along the INDUS RIVER and its tributaries (modern Pakistan and northwest India) |
| Discoverers | Daya Ram Sahni (Harappa, 1921) and R.D. Banerji (Mohenjodaro, 1922) |
| Major cities | Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Dholavira (Gujarat), Lothal (Gujarat), Kalibangan (Rajasthan) |
| Also called | Harappan Civilisation (after the first city discovered) |
Why Is It Important?
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| One of the OLDEST | Contemporary with ANCIENT Egypt and Mesopotamia |
| BEST planned | Most ADVANCED town planning of its time |
| MYSTERIOUS writing | Their script has NOT yet been deciphered |
| EXTENSIVE trade | Traded with faraway lands |
2. Town Planning — The Best in the Ancient World
'The Indus Valley cities were BUILT to a plan — not haphazard like many ancient settlements. The streets were STRAIGHT, the houses had BATHROOMS, and the drainage system was SUPERIOR to anything seen until MODERN times!'
Features of Town Planning
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Grid layout | Streets crossed at RIGHT ANGLES — like a chessboard |
| Brick sizes | All bricks were STANDARDISED — same size everywhere |
| Two parts | Each city had a CITADEL (upper town — important buildings) and a LOWER TOWN (residential area) |
| Covered drains | Every house connected to UNDERGROUND drains — covered with stone slabs |
| Well-planned houses | Rooms around a COURTYARD. Many had their OWN WELL. |
| Public wells | Wells at REGULAR intervals for community use |
The Great Bath of Mohenjodaro
'THE GREAT BATH is the most FAMOUS structure of the Indus Valley. It is a large brick tank, waterproofed with NATURAL TAR (bitumen). It was probably used for RELIGIOUS bathing ceremonies — a practice that continues in India today at places like Varanasi.'
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Size | 12 m × 7 m × 2.4 m deep |
| Waterproofing | Layer of NATURAL TAR (bitumen) |
| Access | Steps on TWO sides to enter the water |
| Surroundings | Rooms and galleries around the bath |
| Purpose | Probably RELIGIOUS bathing rituals |
3. Life in the Indus Cities
Occupations
| Occupation | What They Did |
|---|---|
| Farmers | Grew wheat, barley, peas, dates, and cotton |
| Potters | Made beautiful POTTERY — painted with designs |
| Bead-makers | Made BEADS from carnelian, jasper, and gold |
| Weavers | Wove COTTON cloth — Indus people were among the FIRST to grow and weave cotton |
| Metal workers | Made tools and ornaments from COPPER, BRONZE, GOLD, and SILVER |
| Seal makers | Carved STONE SEALS with animal figures and writing |
| Traders | Traded with Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) |
What Did They Eat?
| Food | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Wheat and barley | Found STORED in granaries |
| Peas and dates | Seeds recovered from excavations |
| Meat | Bones of cattle, sheep, goat, and fish |
| Milk | From domesticated cattle and buffalo |
Crafts and Art
| Craft | Description |
|---|---|
| Pottery | RED clay pottery with BLACK designs |
| Beads | Beautiful beads from PRECIOUS and semi-precious stones |
| Metalwork | Tools, weapons, ornaments from BRONZE and COPPER |
| Terracotta figurines | Small clay figures of ANIMALS and humans |
| Seals | Stone SEALS engraved with animals and INDUS SCRIPT |
4. The Indus Seals — A Mystery
The Indus Valley people made THOUSANDS of small stone seals with animal figures and a STRANGE script that NO ONE can read.
'The Indus script has about 400 SYMBOLS. Despite MANY attempts by scholars around the world, it has NOT been deciphered. It is one of the GREAT unsolved puzzles of ancient history.'
Common Animals on Seals
| Animal | Meaning (Speculated) |
|---|---|
| Unicorn | The MOST common — possibly a MYTHICAL or sacred animal |
| Bull | Strength and POWER |
| Elephant | Wealth and IMPORTANCE |
| Tiger | Ferocity and DANGER |
| Rhinoceros | Exotic WILD animal |
5. The End of the Indus Civilisation
Around 1900 BCE, the Indus Valley cities began to DECLINE. By 1500 BCE, they were ABANDONED.
Possible Reasons for Decline
| Theory | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Climate change | The region became DRIER — less rainfall for farming |
| River shift | The Indus River changed course — cities lost their water source |
| Floods | Repeated FLOODING damaged the cities |
| Overuse of resources | Deforestation and over-farming made the land LESS fertile |
| Earthquake | A major earthquake may have changed the landscape |
Key Facts to Remember
- The Indus Valley Civilisation (2600-1900 BCE) is one of the WORLD'S oldest.
- Harappa and Mohenjodaro are the most FAMOUS cities.
- 'The town planning was AMAZING — straight streets, standardised bricks, and covered drains.'
- The GREAT BATH was used for religious bathing.
- The Indus people were the FIRST to grow COTTON.
- Their SCRIPT has NOT been deciphered yet.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct Understanding |
|---|---|
| Thinking the Indus Valley is only in India | Major sites are in PAKISTAN (Harappa, Mohenjodaro) |
| Believing they used iron | They used COPPER and BRONZE — the Iron Age came LATER |
| Confusing Indus seals with coins | Seals were NOT coins — they were probably used for trade and identification |
| Thinking we know their religion | We do NOT know for sure — no temples have been found |
Exam Focus (ICSE Class 5)
| Topic | Marks (Typical) | Question Type |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and major cities | 3-4 marks | When and where was the civilisation discovered? |
| Town planning | 4-5 marks | Describe the features of Indus cities |
| The Great Bath | 3 marks | Describe and explain its probable use |
| Occupations and crafts | 3-4 marks | What did people do for a living? |
| Decline of the civilisation | 3-4 marks | Possible reasons for the decline |
Self-Test: 5 Questions
Q1. When was the Indus Valley Civilisation discovered? Name two major cities.
Q2. Describe four features of town planning in Indus Valley cities.
Q3. What is the Great Bath of Mohenjodaro? What was it probably used for?
Q4. Why are the Indus seals important? What is mysterious about them?
Q5. List three possible reasons why the Indus Valley Civilisation declined.
Answers
A1. The civilisation was discovered in the 1920s. Major cities: HARAPPA and MOHENJODARO. Other important sites: Dholavira, Lothal, Kalibangan.
A2. (1) GRID layout — streets crossed at right angles. (2) STANDARDISED bricks — all the same size. (3) COVERED drains — underground drainage system. (4) Two parts — CITADEL and LOWER TOWN. (5) Houses with COURTYARDS and private wells.
A3. The Great Bath is a large brick TANK in Mohenjodaro (12 m × 7 m × 2.4 m). It was waterproofed with natural tar (bitumen). It was probably used for RELIGIOUS BATHING ceremonies.
A4. The seals have ANIMAL figures and INDUS SCRIPT. They are important for understanding trade and culture. They are MYSTERIOUS because the script has NOT been deciphered.
A5. (1) CLIMATE CHANGE — the region became drier. (2) RIVER SHIFT — the Indus changed course. (3) FLOODS or EARTHQUAKES. (4) OVERUSE of resources and deforestation.
