a 5 min presentation on Indus Valley civilization discussing its history, some geographical details, the lifestyle, religous beliefs and livelihood of the people.

1. Indus Valley Civilization
By: Khawaja Zubair Nadeem
BS-EE 2011-15

2. Civilization defined
DEFINITION
• The stage of human social
development and organization
which is considered most
advanced.
OR SIMPLY
• The society, culture and
lifestyle of people in a
particular area.

3. INTRODUCTION
• A bronze age civilization- Also known as Mature harappan
civilization (2600-1900 BC)
• Thrived in the basins of Indus river profiting from the fertility
of the land
• Had a population of 5 million at its peak
• People were mostly tradesmen or artisans
• Known for
― futuristic urban planning
― astonishing architecture
― remarkable handicrafts
― work in the field of metallurgy

4. DISCOVERY
• Minor excavations in 1827,1831,1853 and so on
bore no or very less fruit
• Remained unknown until the major excavation
under Sir John Marshall
• Discovery of a civilization
rivalling those of Egypt
and Mesopotamia– former
old world civilizations

5. REGIONAL SPREAD
• Sites cover most of the modern Pakistan
and northwestern India
• Area covered is about 1.3 million square
miles
• The largest among the old world
civilizations
• Over 1050 sites; scattered across the area

6. SETTLEMENTS
Inland
settlements
Dholavira
Rupar
Ganeriwala
Cholistan
Rakhigarhi
Coastal
settlements
Lothal
Sutkagan
Dor
Manda
Gomal
river valley
Jammu
Alamgirpur

7. ARCHITECTURE
• The cities are build on numerous mounds
(elevated grounds)
• Advanced architecture
― Impressive dockyards
― Graineries
― Warehouses
• Walled city (protection from flood
water)
• Well planned streets
• Proper sanitation and drainage system
• Baked brick houses
• Well built bathrooms
• Wells throughout the city
• Remarkable similarity of architecture all
over the civilization
• No large monumental structures

8. GOVERNMENT
DIFEERENT THEORIES ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
Single state
•Due to the similarity in artefacts and similar
planning of the cities; even standardized ratio of
brick size
Several
rulers
•The city is built on series of elevated grounds
(mounds) thus leading to a conclusion that it might
had been governed by elected officials perhaps
one from each mound
No ruler
•There is no evidence of kings or thrones so it is
suggested that every one enjoyed an equal status

9. LIVELIHOOD
Most of the people must have been TRADERS or ARTISANS
• Different types of seals and
standardized weights suggest
a system of trade
• The advanced detailing in the
astonishing artefacts show that
there were great artisans
among them
• Materials brought in from distant
regions were found

10. LIVING STANDARD
• Some houses larger than others BUT most of
them similar in size and build
• The society is an example of egalitarianism
• Low wealth concentration though clear social
levelling
• Access to water supplies and drainage facilities
• Graineries
• Ornaments made out of gold and ivory
• No large monument except “THE GREAT BATH”
- a public bath probably for religious rituals
• Hygiene and cleanliness were among the high
priorities of the society
• Evidence of quality municipal planning and
efficient municipal government

11. RELIGION
• Seals bearing depiction of gods, goddesses and animals
point towards Buddhism and Hinduism
• The seated human like figure shown is the so called
“proto-shiva” (Hindu god)
• The religion to which the evidences point emerged in the
late 1000 BC
• No evident religious buildings but some structures do serve
to the ambiguity being what looks as remains of temples
• Buried human bodies: evidence of a cemetery
• Burial urns with ashes: evidences of cremation
SO
• The religious beliefs among the dwellers of this civilization
remain uncertain until specific evidence is found

12. TECHNOLOGY
• Measurements
Great accuracy in measurement in measuring mass length and
time
―MASS:
― standard weights hexahedron in shape were found weights in the
ratio 5:2:1 (0.1,0.2,0.5 ; 1,2,5 ; 10 20 50 units)
―Each unit measuring about 28 grams
―Same as present day English imperial ounce system
―LENGTH:
―a scale with a precision of 1.704 mm was found
near lothal
―The smallest in the bronze age

13. TECHNOLOGY
• Metallurgy
The people knew unconventional techniques of metallurgy
and produced
― Brass
― Copper
― Bronze
― Ivory
These materials were used in the making of
ornaments utensils seals and artefacts etc

14. TECHNOLOGY
• Knowledge of dentistry
In 2006 it was announced that the oldest evidence of
drilling teeth in a living human was found in Mehrgarh
(IVC)
This claim was made on the basis of finding eleven
drilled teeth in nine men excavated from what supposed
to be a graveyard.

15. ARTEFACTS AND HANDICRAFTS

16. DECLINE
• It was proposed by Sir Mortimer Wheeler in 1953 that the reason
for the decline of the IVC was the invasion by an Indo-European
tribe “ARYANS”
• Rejected because no evidence of war or fights were found
• Actually, people abandoned the region because of:
―IMIGRATION of new people (Aryans) in the area
―Decline in trade
―Climatic changes- Indus valley got cooler and drier with the course
of time
―Decrease in rainfall and thus inadequate supply of water for
irrigation
―Changes in the course of the river
• many elements of its culture were found in the later cultures

17. POINT TO WONDER
Sir John Marshall is known to have reacted with surprise when
he saw the famous statuette known as “the dancing girl”
He said:
“when I first saw them I found it difficult to believe that they
were prehistoric. Modeling such as this was unknown in the
ancient worlds up to the age of Greece,
I thought that these figures had found
their way into levels some 3000 years
older to which they properly belonged”

18. REFERENCES
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Social studies class 8th (Punjab textbook board)
History in focus 6 by Teresa Crompton
Lecture on Indus Valley Civilization by Mr Roy Mathur (University of York)
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/civilization
http://science.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology/mohenjo-daro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_valley_civilization
www.Worldhistorychart.com
Images:
― www.Wikipedia.com
― En.Wikimedia.org
― www.flickriver.com
― www.thunderbolts.info
― www.nationalgeographic.com
― www.Harappa.com