Ancient Civilizations
• All major ancient civilizations were established along
the banks of major river.
• The abundance of agriculture due to fertile land helped
the Civilization to thrive.
• There is no credible evidence to establish anyone
Civilization as the earliest/first Civilization to have
been established.
• Though it is widely assumed that the earliest
civilization was in Mesopotamia.

• Indus Valley Civilization was an ancient civilization that
thrived along the course of Indus river in North-Western part
of Indian subcontinent.
• It was also the period of the Bronze Age.
• It is also referred to as Harappan Civilization owing to the
fact that this civilization was first discovered in 1921 at the
modern site of Harappa situated in the Punjab province Punjab
of current day Pakistan.
• Time Duration of Indus Valley Civilization: As revealed by
Radio-Carbon this civilization thrived during 2500-1750 B.C.

Geographical Extent of Indus Valley Civilization
• The Indus Valley
Civilization was spread
over a very large area
which is today a part of
Northwestern India and
Pakistan.
• It covered an area of
1299600 Sq.metre. This
indicates that Indus Valley
Civilization was the most
extensive among all other
ancient civilizations.

Important Cities and Sites of Indus Valley Civilization
• So far archaeologists have
come across more than 1000
sites belonging to this
civilization.
• Out of these, only 6 can be
regarded as cities: Harappa,
Mohenjo-daro,Chanhu-daro,
Lothal, Kalibangan and
Banwali.
• Largest site of Indus
Civilization is Mohenjo-
daro.

Important Features of Indus Valley Civilization

Indus Valley Civilization- Town Planning
• Town planning was the hallmark
of Harappan culture.
• Harappan towns and cities were
built as per grid pattern wherein
roads and by lanes bisected each
other at right angles.
• Drainage system in Indus
Civilization towns was very
impressive.
• Burnt bricks of uniform size
were widely used across towns
• Large places for communal bath
were found as a part of the
towns.

Backed Brick Well at Lothal

Agriculture
• The Indus people sowed seeds in the flood
plains in November when the flood water
receded, and reaped the harvest in April
before the advent of next flood.
• They produced two types of wheat and
barley.
• They also produced rai, peas, sesamum and
mustard.
• Evidence of use of Rice has been found only
from Lothal.
• Indus people were the earliest people to
produce cotton.
• As cotton was first produced in this area
Greeks called it ‘sindon’ which is derived
from Sindh.
• Irrigation was prevalent in the Indus Valley
Civilization.

Cotton Plant

Domestication of Animals
• Oxen, buffaloes, goats, sheep and
pigs were domesticated. However,
humped bulls were favoured.
• Dogs were regarded as pets. Cats
were also domesticated.
• Asses and camels were used as
beasts of burden.
• Horses were not in regular use.
• Harappan people were also familiar
with Elephants and Rhinoceros.
humped bulls

Trade and Commerce
• Trade and commerce was flourishing in
Harappan age. Trade and Commercial
activities were carried on through sea
as well as land routes.
• Carts, chariots and animals were means
of transports as far as land trade is
concerned. For sea trade, big boats
were used.
• Harappan people had trade relations
within India, as well as with countries
outside India.
• The Mesopotamian texts of the same
period refer to trade relations with
‘Meluha’ which was the ancient name
given to Indus region.
• With no clear evidence of
currency/money being used the
exchange must have been through
barter system.

Indus traders weighed their goods on scales,
using stone weights. The scale pans here are
made of copper.

Art of Indus Valley Civilization
• The Harappan Civilization belongs to
the Bronze Age. Harappan people used
many tools and implements of stone, but
they were very well acquainted with the
manufacture and use of bronze, which
was made by mixing tin and copper.
• Bronze smiths manufactured not only
images and utensils but also various
tools and weapons such as axes, saws,
knifes and spears.
• Brick-laying was an important craft at
that time.

•The Harappan people had the
knowledge of boat-making, seal-
making and terracotta
manufacturing.
•Harappans were experts in bead
making.
•Jewellery of gold, silver and
precious stones was also made.
•The potter’s wheel was in full
use and the Harappans produced
their own characteristic pottery,
which was made glossy and
shining.

Seals of Indus Valley Civilization
• Most commonly made of ‘steatite’ (soft
stone), Seals were the greatest artistic
creation of Harappan people.
• The majority of the seals have an animal
engraved on them with a short
inscription.
• ‘Unicorn’ is the animal most commonly
represented on the seals.
• Seals were extensively used during
trading of goods

Indus Valley Civilization Religion
• The chief male deity was the
Pashupati Mahadeva (proto-
shiva), represented in the seals
as sitting in yogic posture on a
low throne, and having three
faces and two horns. He is
surrounded by four animals
(elephant, tiger, rhino and
buffalo), each facing a different
direction and two deer appear at
his feet.
• Chief female deity was the
Mother Goddess, who has been
depicted in various forms.
The Pashupati seal, showing a
seated and
possibly tricephalic figure,
surrounded by animals

Mother Goddess was
worshipped in Harappa
•Worship of fire is proved by the
discovery of fire altars at Lothal,
Kalibangan and Harappa.
•Indus people also worshipped Gods
in the form of trees (peepal etc.) and
animals (unicorn etc.)

Harappan Script
• Harappan script is regarded
as pictographic since its
signs represent birds, fish
and a variety of human
forms.
• The language of Harappan
people is unknown as its
script has not been
deciphered till date.

Social Structure
• Social structure was primarily based
on occupation and segregated in 4
main groups:
• Brahmins (priests and the king) .
• Kshatriyas (warriors and aristocrats -
rulers) .
• Vaishyas (cultivators, artisans, and
merchants) .
• Shudras (peasants and serfs) .

Harappan Clothing
Earliest evidence of Cotton Clothing was found in the Indus Valley
Civilization and was used extensively for trading

Harappan Food
1) The Indus Valley people has a
balanced diet comprising staples,
meat, fruit and vegetables.
2) Maize and Barley were the main
staple food.
3)Domesticated animals like goats and
cows provided milk and meat.
4) There is evidence of more fruit and
vegetables as the preferred source of
nourishment than meat.

Political / Administrative Structure
•One of the factors that make this civilization
so unique and that has surprised the scholars is
that there has been no mention of any ruler or
powerful authority throughout the region.
•Neither do we know anything about their
governing system.
•Although it is very clear that it is unlikely that
such an organized and systematic society can
exist without any local and central control,
these cities show very little or no evidence of it
whatsoever.
•The closest depiction of a figure is a terracotta
sculpture of what is believed to be the priest-
king.
•The king or the ruler is totally absent from the
art or any other form of depiction.
The ‘Priest-King of
Mohenjo-Daro’ statue,
from the Indus Valley
Civilization

Decline of the civilization
• Scholars have put forward number of theories to explain the decline and the
final collapse of the Indus Valley Civilization. Some of these theories
highlight the natural causes whereas others mention human causes for the
decline.
• Three most prevalent theories for the decline of the civilization are:
1) Invasion by conquerors like the Aryans.
2) Ecological disturbances like low rainfall, floods, change in the course of
the river.
3) Natural Disaster like earthquakes.

Contribution Of Indus Valley To Modern Day Civilization
• Irrigation.
• Use of bricks.
• Plumbing.
• Social Structure.
• Grid pattern of roads.
• Cotton Clothing.
• Use of seals and symbols.
• Domestication of Animals.
• Use of Clay and metal for art and craft.