Harappan civilization 2 Architecture 2 Drainage System 3 The planning of the residential houses were also meticulous. 4 Town Planning 4 Urban Culture 4 Occupation 5 Export import product of 5 Clothing 5 Important centres 6 Religious beliefs 6 Script 7 Authority and governance 7 Technology 8 Architecture Of Indus Valley Civilisation 9 The GAP 9 ARTS OF THE INDUS VALLEY 11 Stone Statues 12 MALE TORSO 12 Bust of a bearded priest 13 Male Dancer 14 Bronze Casting 14 DANCING GIRL 15 BULL 16 Terracotta 16 MOTHER GODDESS 17 Seals 18 Pashupati Seal 19 Copper tablets 19 Bull Seal 20 Pottery 21 PAINTED EARTHEN JAR 22 Beads and Ornaments 22 Toy Animal with moveable head 24 Page !1 of !26 Harappan civilization India has a continuous history covering a very long period. Evidence of neolithic habitation dating as far back as 7000 BC has been found in Mehrgarh in Baluchistan. However, the first notable civilization flourished in India around 2700 BC in the north western part of the Indian subcontinent, covering a large area. The civilization is referred to as the Harappan civilization. Most of the sites of this civilization developed on the banks of Indus, Ghaggar and its tributaries. Architecture The excavations at Harappa and Mohenjodaro and several other sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation revealed the existence of a very modern urban civilisation with expert town planning and engineering skills. The very advanced drainage system along with well planned roads and houses show that a sophisticated and highly evolved culture existed in India before the coming of the Aryans. The sites of the Indus Valley Civilization were excavated under the Archaeological Survey of India established by the British. The Harappan people had constructed mainly three types of buildings-dwelling houses, pillared halls and public baths. Main features of Harappan remains are: 1. The settlements could be traced as far back as third millennium BC. 2. Some important settlements were excavated on the banks of the river Indus particularly at the bends that provided water, easy means of transportation of produce and other goods and also some protection by way of natural barriers of the river . 3. All the sites consisted of walled cities which provided security to the people. 4. The cities had a rectangular grid pattern of layout with roads that cut each other at right angles. Page !2 of !26 5. The Indus Valley people used standardised burnt mud-bricks as building material. 6. There is evidence of building of big dimensions which perhaps were public buildings, administrative or business centres, pillared halls and courtyards, There is no evidence of temples. 7. Public buildings include granaries which were used to store grains which give an idea of an organised collection and distribution system. 8. Along with large public buildings, there is evidence of small one roomed constructions that appear to be working peoples quarters. 9. The Harappan people were great engineers as is evident from the public bath that was discovered at Mohenjodaro. (a) The ‘Great Bath’ as it is called, is still functional and there is no leakage or cracks in the construction. (b) The existence of what appears to be a public bathing place shows the importance of ritualistic bathing and cleanliness in this culture. (c) It is significant that most of the houses had private wells and bathrooms. 10. At some sites a dominant citadal was excavated in the western part containing the public buildings including the granaries. This can perhaps be treated as evidence of some kind of political authority ruling over the cities. 11. There is evidence also of fortifications with gateways enclosing the walled cities which shows that there may have been a fear of being attacked. 12. Lothal, a site in Gujarat also has the remains of a dockyard proving that trade flourished in those times by sea. Drainage System Another remarkable feature was the existence of a well planned drainage system in the residential parts of the city. 1. From a room that appears to have been set aside for bathing, waste water was directed to covered drains, which lined the major streets. Page !3 of !26 2. Small drains from the houses were connected to larger ones along the sides of the main roads. 3. The drains were covered and loose covers were provided for the purpose of cleaning them. The planning of the residential houses were also meticulous. 1. Evidence of stairs shows houses were often double storied. 2. Doors were in the side lanes to prevent dust from entering the houses. 3. Individual homes or groups of homes obtained water from wells. 4. Houses opened only to inner courtyards and smaller lanes. Town Planning 1. The most important features of Harrapan architecture are their superior town planning skills and cities that have been built on a clear geometric pattern or grid layout. 2. Roads cut each other at right angles and were very well laid out. 3. As the Indus Valley settlements were located on the banks of the river, they were often destroyed by major floods. In spite of this calamity, the Indus Valley people built fresh settlements on the same sites. Thus, layers upon layers of settlements and buildings were found during the excavations. The decline and final destruction of the Indus Valley Civilization, sometime around the second millennium BC remains a mystery to this day. ——also indicates indegenous nature of Indus Valley civilisation. Urban Culture 1. The culture associated with the Harappan civilization is the first known urban culture in India. Page !4 of !26 2. The Harappans built the earliest cities complete with town planning, sanitation, drainage system and broad well-laid roads. 3. They built double storied houses of burnt- bricks each one of which had a bathroom, a kitchen and a well. 4. The walled cities had other important buildings such as the Great Bath, Grannaries and Assembly Halls. Occupation 1. Agriculture was the main occupation of the Harappans who were living in rural areas. • They were perhaps the first people to cultivate cotton. 2. Those living in the cities carried on Internal and external trade and developed contacts with other civilizations such as Mesopotamia. • A large number of Indus seals found in Mesopotamia which indicated of a possible trade between the Indus valley and Mesopotamian civilization. 3. They were excellent potters. Various types of utensils, toys, seals, figurines have been excavated from different sites. 4. Harappans also had the technical knowledge of metals and the process of alloying. • The bronze sculpture of a dancing girl found in Mohenjodaro testifies the sculptural skills and aesthetic sense of the Harappans. • Shell, ivory, bone and faience were used as material for different crafts and objects. 5. The figures of men and women on various seals found in the excavations reveal that the people knew the art of spinning and weaving. Export import product of Clothing Page !5 of !26 It is evident from the discovery of a large number of spindles and spindle whorls in the houses of the Indus Valley that spinning of cotton and wool was very common. The fact that both the rich and the poor practised spinning is indicated by finds of whorls made of the expensive faience as also of the cheap pottery and shell. 1. Men and women wore two separate pieces of attire similar to the dhoti and shawl. 2. The shawl covered the left shoulder passing below the right shoulder. 3. From archaeological finds it appears that the people of the Indus Valley were conscious of fashion. • Different hairstyles were in vogue and wearing of a beard was popular among all. • Cinnabar was used as a cosmetic and face-paint, lipstick and collyrium (eyeliner) were also known to them. Important centres 1. Lothal was a dockyard situated in Dholaka Taluk of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. It was also a well planned wall city. It was an important centre of sea trade with the western world. 2. Dhaulavira in Gujarat 3. Kalibangam in Rajasthan 4. While Harappa and Mohenjodaro are situated in Pakistan, 5. Rakhigarhi in Haryana, 6. Ropar in the Punjab, 7. Kalibangan and Balathal in Rajasthan, 8. LINK: https://www.evernote.com/l/AS6-BteFtiBP164bin2AgwWlZ7hl-se4BdI Religious beliefs Page !6 of !26 1. Numerous seals carrying the images of the one-horned rhinocerous known as unicorn, peepal leaves and a male god throw light on the religious beliefs of the Harappans. 2. It appears that they worshipped plants and animals and the forces of nature. 3. They worshipped a male god resembling Lord Shiva of later times and a mother goddess among others. 4. They probably believed in life after death and also in charms and spells. 5. Seals engraved with animal figures like the humped bull, elephant and rhinocerous suggest that these animals were considered sacred. 6. ‘Peepal’ has been found depicted on many seals. Script 1. Harappans knew how to write and most of their seals contain some form of script. But unfortunately no one has yet been able to decipher that script. 2. As a result, our knowledge of the Harappan civilization is based on the archaeological evidence alone. 3. Script is Boustrophedon : Every other line of writing is flipped or reversed, with reversed letters. Authority and governance Archaeological records provide no immediate answers for a centre of power or for depictions of people in power in Harappan society. But, there are indications of complex decisions being taken and implemented. For instance, the extraordinary uniformity of Harappan artefacts as evident in pottery, seals, weights and bricks. These are the major theories: Page !7 of !26 1. There was a single state, given the similarity in artefacts, the evidence for planned settlements, the standardised ratio of brick size, and the establishment of settlements near sources of raw material.