The Indus Valley Civilization - History – Mocomi.com

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One of the earliest urban civilizations in India and in fact, in the
world, was the Indus Valley Civilisation, also called the Harappan
Culture.
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About 5000 years ago, a group of nomads travelling from Sumeria
(present-day Iran) entered North Western India, near present day
Karachi. These nomads found a land so richly fertile by the banks of
the river Indus that they settled there without hesitation. This area
was abundant with water, fodder and fuel.

Over the next thousand years, the immigrants spread over and
area of half a million square miles. Excavations prove that the level
of urban planning and architecture prevalent here was incompara-ble.
The anchor for this civilisation lay in the beautiful twin cities of
Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
Harappa
Lothal
Mohenjo-daro

The name Mohenjo-Daro means 'Mound of the Dead' in Sindhi.
The city was built around 2600 BC and abandoned around 1700
BC. Evidence suggests that the city was highly prone to oods.
Copyright © 2012 Mocomi Anibrain Digital Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

These cities were made of bricks either baked mud of wood bricks.
The baked bricks were a superior version of the sun-dried bricks
used in other civilisations. The amazing part was that the workers
made every brick of the same size. The type of brick used, ensured
the durability of the buildings.

Despite a population of about 30,000, the city had one of the best
sanitation systems. Each house had a well from which it drew
water. From a bathing room the waste water was directed into cov-ered
drains along the main streets. Since all the streets were well-drained,
the city remained dry and clean. This is evidence of a very
modern method of sanitation and sewerage.

Mohenjo-daro was primarily an agricultural city. It was situated
below the great mountain ranges, with rivers owing abundantly
through the land, depositing rich fertile soil. This made evident, the
fact that agriculture was the main occupation. Further proof of this
is the presence of a large well, a central marketplace and several
granaries in the city.

Near the granary was the great public bath house, known as the
Great Bath. Steps led down to a pool lined with bricks in a huge
courtyard. The beautiful bath area had a layer of natural tar - this
was to prevent it from leaking. In the centre of the bath area was
the swimming pool. The purpose of the Great Bath was assumed to
be for ritualistic bathing. This is a practice followed by Hindus even
today.

Houses were well protected from noise, odour and thieves. Each
house opened out onto inner courtyards and smaller lanes, so it
was safe. Although some houses were larger than the others, the
city seemed to promote an equal society, for all houses had the
same kind of access to water and drainage.

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The city had an impressive defense structure in place as well.
Though it lacked outer walls, there were defensive towers in the
West and South. Since other Indus cities had stronger defense sys-tems
in fplace, it is speculated that perhaps Mohenjo-daro was
only and administrative center.
The End.

The Indus Valley Civilization - History – Mocomi.com

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The Indus Valley Civilization - History – Mocomi.com