0- Indus Valley civilization is the earliest known urban culture of the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the world’s three earliest civilizations along with Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. This civilization flourished from approximately 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. Geographical factors including soil fertility, climate, and physical features contributed to the development of the Indus Valley civilisation.
- Most of the sites discovered earlier, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, are present in the Indus valley which gives the name to it. Later sites such as Kalibangan, Lothal, Rakhigarhi, etc revealed similar features. Harappa was the first excavated site therefore, it is also called Harappan culture.
- Origin and Discovery of Indus Valley Civilization
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The Indus civilization arose in the Indus River basin evolving from villages that followed the Mesopotamian model of irrigated agriculture.
- Origin: The Indus Valley in the Indian subcontinent was one of the first places where humans settled down and advanced to a highly civilised lifestyle.
- Its contemporary name comes from its location in the Indus River valley, but it is also known as the Indus-Sarasvati Civilization.
- Many sites were excavated later on the banks of the Ghaggar-Hakra river bed.
- Discovery of IVC: It was in 1924 that John Marshall announced to the world the existence of an ancient civilization in the Indus Valley.
- The first person to discover Harappa was Charles Masson, who identified it as an ancient city called Sangala from the time of Alexander.
- Excavating the ruins in the early twentieth century revealed their full significance. Daya Ram Sahni excavated Harappa in 1920, and Rakhaldas Banerjee excavated Mohenjo-daro in 1921.
- Geographical Factors: The geographical conditions in the Indus Valley must have been ideal for human settlement and development. Today, this terrain is extremely dry and unsuitable for human habitation.
- The Indus seals are found to have figures of a variety of plants and animals that can exist only in moderately wet conditions. Therefore, it is assumed that the climatic conditions were quite moderate.
- The vast plains along the Indus were very fertile. The floods deposited rich alluvial soil on these plains every year and irrigated the lands.
- Chronology: The civilization can be dated between 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE with the help of Radiocarbon dating. The entire timeline can be divided into three phases - Early Harappan, Mature Harappan and Late Harappan
- Origin: The Indus Valley in the Indian subcontinent was one of the first places where humans settled down and advanced to a highly civilised lifestyle.
