The Indus Valley Civilization, which existed from 3300-1300 BCE, was one of the most extensive early civilizations, centered around major cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. The people engaged in vibrant clothing made from cotton, silk, and wool, adorned with intricate patterns and colorful dyes, while both men and women wore various types of jewelry and cosmetics. Recent research indicates they also utilized diverse materials for textiles and ornaments, showcasing their artisans' creativity and resourcefulness.

1. INDUS VALLEY
CIVILISATION
THE ERA
OF MINIMALISTC FASHIO
N

2. THE ORIGIN
• THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION EXISTED THROUGH ITS EARLY YEARS OF
3300-1300 BCE, AND ITS MATURE PERIOD OF 2600-1900 BCE. THE AREA OF
THIS CIVILISATION EXTENDED ALONG THE INDUS RIVER FROM WHAT TODAY
IS NORTHEAST AFGHANISTAN, INTO PAKISTAN AND NORTHWEST INDIA.
• THE INDUS CIVILISATION WAS THE MOST WIDESPREAD OF THE THREE EARLY
EARLY CIVILIZATIONS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD, ALONG WITH ANCIENT
EGYPT AND MESOPOTAMIA. HARAPPA AND MOHENJO-DARO WERE
THOUGHT TO BE THE TWO GREAT CITIES OF THE INDUS VALLEY
CIVILIZATION, EMERGING AROUND 2600 BCE ALONG THE INDUS RIVER
VALLEY IN THE SINDH AND PUNJAB

3. CLOTHING WORN BY MEN
• •SOME MEN ALSO WORE A SHAWL-LIKE GARMENT CALLED
AN UTTARIYA. THESE GARMENTS PROVIDED COMFORT AND
FUNCTIONALITY IN THE WARM CLIMATE OF THE REGION.
• •THE COMMON COLORS USED IN THE CLOTHING OF THE INDUS
INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION WERE VIBRANT AND VARIED. THEY
THEY USED COLORS LIKE RED, YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN, AND BLACK TO
BLACK TO CREATE A COLORFUL AND VISUALLY STRIKING
APPEARANCE. THESE COLORS WERE OFTEN DERIVED FROM
NATURAL DYES AND PIGMENTS FOUND IN THE REGION.

4. CLOTHING WORN BY WOMEN
• WOMEN OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION USED MATERIALS SUCH AS COTTON, SILK,
AND WOOL FOR THEIR CLOTHING.
• •THE WOMEN OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION ADORNED THEIR CLOTHING WITH
VARIOUS DESIGNS AND PATTERNS. SOME COMMON MOTIFS INCLUDED GEOMETRIC
SHAPES, FLORAL PATTERNS, AND ANIMAL MOTIFS. THEY USED TECHNIQUES LIKE DYEING,
WEAVING, AND EMBROIDERY TO CREATE THESE BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS.
• •THE COMMON COLORS USED IN THE CLOTHING OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION
WERE VIBRANT AND VARIED. THEY USED COLORS LIKE RED, YELLOW, BLUE, GREEN, AND
BLACK TO CREATE A COLORFUL AND VISUALLY STRIKING APPEARANCE

5. ORNAMENTS
• BOTH MEN AND WOMEN WORE ORNAMENTS MADE OF GOLD,
SILVER, COPPER AND OTHER METALS. MEN WORE
NECKLACES, FINGER RINGS AND ARMLETS OF VARIOUS
DESIGNS AND SHAPES.
• THE WOMEN WORE A HEAD DRESS, EAR RINGS, BANGLES,
GIRDLES, BRACELETS AND ANKLETS.
• RICH PEOPLE WORE EXPENSIVE ORNAMENTS MADE OF GOLD
WHILE THE POOR HAD ORNAMENTS MADE OF SHELL, BONE
OR COPPER.

6. COSMETIC
• THE LADIES OF MOHEN-JO-DARO WERE NOT LAGGING BEHIND IN STYLES AS USED
BY THE LADIES OF THE PRESENT DAY, WHEN IT CAME TO THE USE OF COSMETICS
AND THE ATTAINMENT OF BEAUTY
• . MATERIALS MADE OF IVORY AND METAL FOR HOLDING AND APPLYING COSMETICS
PROVE THAT THEY KNEW THE USE OF FACE PAINT AND COLLYRIUM. BRONZE OVAL
MIRRORS, IVORY COMBS OF VARIOUS SHAPES, EVEN SMALL DRESSING TABLES,
HAVE BEEN FOUND AT MOHEN-JO-DARO AND OTHER SITES.
• WOMEN TIED THE HAIR INTO A BUN AND USED HAIR PINS MADE OF IVORY. TOILET
JARS, FOUND AT MOHEN-JO-DARO, SHOW THAT WOMEN TOOK INTEREST IN
COSMETICS.

7. • A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE MAJOR CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE INDUS REGION IS PRESENTED
ALONG WITH A DISCUSSION OF THE CURRENT STATE OF RESEARCH ON THE MOST ANCIENT
TEXTILES USED BY ANCIENT PEOPLES OF THIS REGION
• . THE MOST COMMON FIBRES USED IN THE INDUS VALLEY APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN COTTON, BUT
VARIOUS TYPES OF WOOL AND POSSIBLY JUTE OR HEMP FIBRES WERE ALSO USED
• . MOST RECENTLY, THE DISCOVERY OF SILK THREAD INSIDE COPPER BEADS FROM THE SITE OF
HARAPPA INDICATES THAT WILD SILK WAS ALSO KNOWN TO THE ANCIENT INHABITANTS OF THE
REGION, THOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT IT WAS WOVEN INTO FABRIC.
• IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE MAJOR CULTURAL TRADITIONS OF THE
INDUS REGION WILL BE PRESENTED ALONG WITH A DISCUSSION OF THE CURRENT STATE OF
RESEARCH ON THE MOST ANCIENT TEXTILES USED BY ANCIENT PEOPLES OF THIS REGION.
TEXTILE USE IN INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

8. DIFFERENT TYPES OF BEADS
• IN ADDITION TO METALS LIKE GOLD, SILVER, AND COPPER,
THE PEOPLE OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION ALSO USED
A VARIETY OF OTHER MATERIALS IN THEIR JEWELRY.
• THEY INCORPORATED MATERIALS SUCH AS TERRACOTTA,
SHELL, BONE, AND EVEN FAIENCE (A TYPE OF GLAZED
CERAMIC) INTO THEIR DESIGNS.
• THESE MATERIALS ALLOWED FOR A DIVERSE RANGE OF
TEXTURES AND COLORS IN THEI JEWELRY, MAKING IT EVEN
MORE VISUALLY STRIKING.
• THE COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS SHOWCASED
THE CREATIVITY AND RESOURCEFULNESS OF THE ARTISANS
OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION.

9. TYPES OF JEWELLERY
• FIGURINES AND FINDS IN GRAVES SHOW THAT
HARAPPANS OF BOTH SEXES WORE JEWELLERY: HAIR
FILLETS, BEAD NECKLACES AND BANGLES FOR MEN;
BANGLES, EARRINGS, RINGS, ANKLETS, BELTS MADE OF
STRINGS OF BEADS, PENDANTS, CHOKERS AND
NUMEROUS NECKLACES FOR WOMEN, AS WELL AS
ELABORATE HAIRSTYLES AND HEADDRESSES.