The document provides an overview of the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the earliest civilizations in South Asia. It discusses the discovery of major sites like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro in modern-day Pakistan. The civilization had highly advanced urban planning with grid systems and effective drainage. Residents practiced agriculture and traded regionally and internationally. The civilization declined around 1500 BCE for reasons that remain unclear such as natural disasters or invasion, but it demonstrated sophisticated cultural and technological achievements for its time.

1. INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
STD. VI B
DEVANSHI & SHUBHAM JATANIA

2. INTRODUCTION
• EARLIER BELIEVED : HISTORY OF
INDIA BEGAN WITH THE COMING
OF ARYANS.
• ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF
INDIA:
• 1921: DAYARAM SAHNI, DISCOVERED
RUINS OF HARAPPA
• 1922-23: RAKHALDAS BANERJEE,
DISCOVERED RUINS OF
MOHENJODARO. (HIGHLY PLANNED
CITIES – HIGHLY ADVANCED URBAN
CIVILIZATION – 4500 YEARS AGO)
• INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
• BRONZE AGE (NO TRACES OF IRON)
• BETWEEN 2500 BCE – 1500 BCE

3. LOCATION (NOW IN PAKISTAN)
• MOHENJODARO – ‘MOUND OF THE DEAD’ – BANKS OF RIVER INDUS
– LARKANA DISTRICT OF SIND (NOW IN PAKISTAN).
• HARAPPA – BANKS OF RIVER RAVI – MONTGOMERY DISTRICT OF
WESTERN PUNJAB (NOW IN PAKISTAN).
• EARLIER BELIEVED – CONFINED TO VALLEY OF INDUS (& ITS
TRIBUTARIES)
• FAR BEYOND - 2800 SITES – LARGEST CIVILIZATION OF THE ANCIENT
WORLD.
• CALLED - INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION/ HARAPPA CIVILIZATION.
• MAJOR SITES - LOTHAL, ROPAR, KALIBANGAN, ALAMGIRPUR, SURKOTADA,
BANAWALI, RAKHIGARHI, DHOLAVIRA.

4. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
• 4500 YEARS AGO.
• CIVILISED PEOPLE.
• EARLIEST CITIES.
• FIRST TOWN PLANNING.
• FIRST AFCHITECTURE IN
STONE & CLAY.
• FIRST EXAMPLE OF SANITARY
ENGINEERING & DRAINAGE
SYSTEM.

5. TOWN PLANNING
• CITIES – VERY WELL PLANNED –
GRID SYSTEM.
• MAIN STREETS RAN PARALLEL -
CUT AT RIGHT ANGLES – SMALLER
STREETS.
• DIVIDING CITIES INTO
RECTANGULAR BLOCKS & GRIDS.
• MAIN ROADS – STRAIGHT – VERY
WIDE (30 FEET) – CURVED AT
CORNERS (VEHICLES PASS EASILY)
• STREETS – PAVED WITH BAKED
BRICKS.

6. DRAINAGE SYSTEM
• EXCELLENT, WELL PLANNED.
• KITCHENS/ BATHROOMS (SLOPING
FLOORS) – DRAINS  STREET
DRAINS.
• STREET DRAINS
• RAN ALONG THE SIDES OF THE
STREETS.
• MANHOLES AT REGULAR INTERVALS –
INSPECTION/ CLEANING.
• PROOF – PEOPLE PAID GREAT
ATTENTION TO SANITATION &
CLEANLINESS.

7. ARCHITECTURE
• PEOPLE – SKILLFUL BUILDERS.
• BUILDINGS
• DWELLING HOUSES
• PUBLIC BUILDINGS

8. BUILDINGS
DWELLING HOUSES
• LARGE BLOCKS OF HOUSES
• ALONG THE SIDES OF STREETS
• DOUBLE STOREYED
• FLAT ROOFS
• DIFFERENT SIZES
• BAKED BRICKS – VERY GOOD
QUALITY (LASTED 4500 YRS)
• AVERAGE HOUSE – COURTYARD
SURROUNDED BY ROOMS,
BATHROOM, KITCHEN, WELL.
• NARROW STAIRCASE LED TO ROOMS
UPSTAIRS.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
• GREAT GRANARY AT HARAPPA.
• SIMILAR ALSO IN MOHENJODARO
• THE GREAT BATH AT
MOHENJODARO
• LARGE SWIMMING POOL
• THE ASSEMBLY HALL

9. PUBLIC BUILDINGS - GRANARIES
• GREAT GRANARY AT HARAPPA.
• LARGE BUILDING
• STORE SURPLUS FOOD GRAINS
• 2 ROWS OF GRANARIES
• EACH ROW – 6 GRANARIES
• CIRCULAR BRICK PLATFORMS –
THRESHING GRAIN.
• FURNACES – METAL WORK –
OBJECTS.
• SIMILAR ALSO IN MOHENJODARO.
• ALL GRANARIES – CLOSE TO RIVER
BANK – BOATS - EASY
TRANSPORTATION OF GRAINS

10. PUBLIC BUILDINGS – THE GREAT BATH
• THE GREAT BATH AT MOHENJODARO
• LARGE SWIMMING POOL
• USED DURING RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.
• 6 ENTRANCES
• CENTRAL BATHING POOL
• GALLERIES
• DRESSING ROOMS
• 2 FLIGHTS OF STEPS LED TO BOTTOM OF
THE POOL
• FLOOR & WALLS OF POOL
• BURNT BRICKS
• BITUMEN LINING – WATERTIGHT
• FILL – FRESH WATER FROM ADJACENT WELL
• USED WATER – DRAINED OUT – OUTLET IN
ONE CORNER.

11. PUBLIC BUILDINGS – THE ASSEMBLY HALL
• THE ASSEMBLY HALL –
MOHENJODARO
(ASSEMBLY HALL/ PRAYER HALL/
PALACE)
• PILLARED HALL
• THICK WALLS
• 20 PILLARS – BURNT/ BAKED
BRICKS

12. SOCIETY
• SOCIAL STRUCTURE
• SOCIAL GROUPS – RULERS/
MERCHANTS/ TRADERS/
ARTISANS/ FARMERS/ MANUAL
LABOURERS.
• FOOD
• STAPLE DIET – WHEAT
• FARMERS ALSO GREW – BARLEY/
MUSTARD/ FRUITS/ VEGETABLES.
• MILK/ MEAT/ FISH/ EGGS – PART
OF DIET.

13. SOCIETY
• DRESS & ORNAMENTS
• COTTON & WOLLEN GARMENTS.
• 2 PIECE DRESSES
• MEN – DHOTI
• WOMEN – SKIRTS
• UPPER GARMENT – SHAWL
• ORNAMENTS
• MEN/ WOMEN – NECKLACES/
AMULETS/ FINGER RINGS.
• WOMEN – HEADDRESS/ EARRINGS/
BANGLES/ GIRDLES/ BRACELETS/
ANKLETS.
• RICH – GOLD/ SILVER/ IVORY.
• POOR – SHELL/ BONE/ COPPER.

14. SOCIETY
• RECREATION & AMUSEMENT –
DURING FREE TIME
• INDOOR GAMES - PREFERRED
• BOARD GAMES WITH DICE
• GAMES SIMILAR TO CHESS
• CHILDREN
• TOYS – WHEELED CARTS/ DOLLS/
ANIMALS WITH MOVABLE HEADS/
SLIDING MONKEYS/
RATTLES/ WHISTLES.
• (TOYS MADE OF BAKED CLAY/
TERRACOTTA)
• OUTDOOR GAMES
• DANCING/ SINGING
• TAKSHASHILA – WORLD’S 1ST
UNIVERSITY.

15. OCCUPATION
• AGRICULTURE
• MAIN OCCUPATION – FARMING
• GROW – WHEAT, BARLEY, FRUITS, VEGETABLES.
• 1ST PEOPLE IN WORLD TO GROW COTTON.
• DOMESTICATION OF ANIMALS
• DOMESTICATED – GOATS, SHEEPS, BUFALLOWS, ELEPHANTS &
HUMPED BULLS.
• PETS – DOGS & CATS.
• ART & CRAFT
• EXCELLENT POTTERS & SKILLED CRAFTSPEOPLE.
• ALSO KNEW ART OF USING METALS.
• POTTER’S WHEEL - POTS OF VARIOUS SHAPES & SIZES, GLAZES &
PAINTED.
• TERRACOTTA FEMALE FIGURINES – SYMBOLIC OF MOTHER GODDESS.
• OTHER OCCUPATIONS
• GOLDSMITHS – GOLD & SILVER JEWELLERY.
• COPPERSMITHS – UTENSILS.
• BRONZESMITHS – TOOLS, WEAPONS, FAMOUS FIGURES (‘DANCING
GIRL’).
• BRICKLAYING, BOAT-MAKING, STONE CUTTING, MASONRY &
CARPENTRY.
• SPINNING & WEAVING.

16. TRADE
• FLOURISHING TRADE
• WITHIN &
• OUTSIDE INDIA
• MESOPOTAMIA (IRAQ) (PROOF –
MESOPOTAMIAN & HARAPPAN SEALS
FOUND)
• PERSIA (IRAN)
• AFGHANISTAN
• BARTER SYSTEM
• WEIGHTS/ MEASURES
• ROUTES
• LAND – BULLOCK CARTS
• SEA – BOATS & SHIPS
(DOCKYARD DISCOVERED AT LOTHAL)

17. SEALS
• > 2000 SEALS UNEARTHED FROM
VARIOUS SITES.
• SMALL, FLAT, RECTANGULAR/ SQUARE,
• MADE OF CLAY/ SOAPSTONE/ COPPER
• CARVED WITH FIGURES OF HUMANS &
ANIMALS – UNICORN, HUMPED BULL,
GOAT, TIGER, ELEPHANT, ETC.
• USED BY MERCHANTS & TRADERS TO
STAMP GOODS.
• SCRIPTS ENGRAVED ON SEALS –
PICTURE LIKE SIGNS – REPRESENT
WORDS, OBJECTS & IDEAS.
(SCRIPTS ONCE WE DECIPHER WILL HELP US
UNDERSTAND HARAPPAN LIFE & CULTURE BETTER.)

18. RELIGION
• NO TEMPLES FOUND.
• NUMEROUS SMOKE-STAINED CLAY FIGURES OF A FEMALE
DEITY (MOTHER GODDESS).
• SOME SEALS – ENGRAVED – 3 FACED FIGURE, SEATED IN A
YOGIC POSTURE & SURROUNDED BY VARIOUS ANIMALS.
• PIPAL TREE – REGARDED SACRED – WORSHIPPED.
• LARGE NUMBER OF AMULETS DISCOVERED
• LUCKY CHARMS TO WARD OF EVIL SPIRITS
• BELIEVED IN LIFE AFTER DEATH
• BURIED THEIR DEAD WITH FOOD, UTENSILS, ORNAMENTS, ETC
• CREMATED DEAD – ASHES/ BONES KEPT IN URN WITH ITEMS OF DAILY
USE.

19. DECLINE & DESTRUCTION
• FLOURISHED FOR 1000 YEARS
• ABRUPT END
• THEORIES BY SCHOLARS
• NATURAL CALAMITIES – EARTHQUAKES/ FLOODS/ EPIDEMICS.
• INVASION BY FOREIGN TRIBES – ARYANS.
• CHANGE IN COURSE OF INDUS – LAND INFERTILE
• HARAPPAN CITIES  RUINS  RECONSTRUCTION & REDISCOVERY 
ANCIENT CULTURE  GREAT PRIDE IN ANCIENT & GLORIOUS PAST.

20. THANK YOU