Facts of Indus Valley Civilization
Facts of the First Cities - 1
In this series of Facts of the First Cities articles I am trying to provide all the information of the harappan civilization basically in tabular or point format. This will include the list of items were excavated from where and by whom the different cities were first discovered and as well who gave which theory for the decline of the harappan civilization.
This tabular form of data would make it lot easier to revise all the important events and stuff related to Harappan and Indus Culture.
Discoveries of Famous Harappan Sites -
Sr.No. Site Currently Located River Excavator Year
01. Harappa Punjab(Pakistan) Ravi Dayaram Sahini 1921
02. Mohenjodaro Sindh(Pakistan) Indus R.D.Banerji 1922
03. Lothal Gujrat(India) Sabarmati S.R.Rao 1957
04. Dholavira Gujrat(India) - J.P.Joshi 1990
05. Chanhudaro Sindh(Pakistan) Indus N.G.Mazumdar 1931
06. Kalibangan Rajasthan(India) Ghaggar Amlanand Ghosh 1953
07. Banawali Haryana(India) Rangoi R.S.Bist 1973
08. Rangpur Gujrat(India) Madar M.S.Vatsa 1931
09. Alamgirpur UttarPradesh(India) Hindon Y.D.Sharma 1958
10. Koti-Diji Sindh(Pakistan) Sidhu Fazal Ahmed 1955
11. Ropar Punjab(India) Sutlej Y.D.Sharma 1955
09. Alamgirpur UttarPradesh(India) Hindon Y.D.Sharma 1958
10. Koti-Diji Sindh(Pakistan) Sidhu Fazal Ahmed 1955
11. Ropar Punjab(India) Sutlej Y.D.Sharma 1955
Note : High accuracy has been maintained while noting down the years and other stuff but
even after that all the stuff can't be made errorless. I would be highly greatful to the
readers if the errors are brought to my notice.
even after that all the stuff can't be made errorless. I would be highly greatful to the
readers if the errors are brought to my notice.
Specialities of different Sindhu Civilization Sites :
Harappa -
The very first city to be discovered by Dayaram Sahni in the year 1921. The entire
civilization had been named after this city only as it was the first among the all to be
discovered. Also first the civilization was named after the Indus Valley because all
the previously discovered cities were located in the Indus Valley Plains (popularly
known as Sindhu River Plains), but the later discovered cities were not located in the
Indus Valley Plains thus the name of the entire civilization was thus changed from
Indus Valley Civilization to Harappan Civilization. Here in Harappa, two rows of six
granaries were also discovered, the city is H-cemetery culture. Two red stone idols of
dancing girls were also found here during the excavation. The most prominent feature
of this city is that the direct trade interaction with Mesopotamia has been proved by the
civilization had been named after this city only as it was the first among the all to be
discovered. Also first the civilization was named after the Indus Valley because all
the previously discovered cities were located in the Indus Valley Plains (popularly
known as Sindhu River Plains), but the later discovered cities were not located in the
Indus Valley Plains thus the name of the entire civilization was thus changed from
Indus Valley Civilization to Harappan Civilization. Here in Harappa, two rows of six
granaries were also discovered, the city is H-cemetery culture. Two red stone idols of
dancing girls were also found here during the excavation. The most prominent feature
of this city is that the direct trade interaction with Mesopotamia has been proved by the
historians.
MohenjoDaro -
Also called Mound of Death because of the discovery of human skeletons together which
suggest some kind of violent death of inhabitants. It is considered to be the most developed
city of all in the harappan culture as structures like Great Bath, multi-pillared Assembly
Hall, large Granary and Priests' College has been found here. A piece of woven cloth and
a bronze dancing girl idol was also found here. Many pieces of some interesting pottery
and some seals were the first to be discovered by the workers of the railway line after
which the excavation was done by R.D.Banerji.
suggest some kind of violent death of inhabitants. It is considered to be the most developed
city of all in the harappan culture as structures like Great Bath, multi-pillared Assembly
Hall, large Granary and Priests' College has been found here. A piece of woven cloth and
a bronze dancing girl idol was also found here. Many pieces of some interesting pottery
and some seals were the first to be discovered by the workers of the railway line after
which the excavation was done by R.D.Banerji.
Lothal -
It is a different kind of city which generally broke all the similarities of the town planning
between different cities of the Indus Culture, as the city was not divided into two parts like
all the other cities of the culture rather it was divided into six sectors and each sector was
built on the wide platform. Thus, it suggests that Lothal was the naught boy in the bunch of
some disciplined boys. Another keyfeature of the indus culture which was violated by
Lothal was the houses with the entrance on the main street (it is notable that all the other
sites had side entrance of the houses). Dockyard was the main structure here, which
suggest that the harappan culture had an great inter civilizational trade relationship. Also
the discovery of bead factory give us the idea of the craftsmanship of the harappan people.
Also a jar was found which had a painting which resembled the cunning fox in Panchatantra.
between different cities of the Indus Culture, as the city was not divided into two parts like
all the other cities of the culture rather it was divided into six sectors and each sector was
built on the wide platform. Thus, it suggests that Lothal was the naught boy in the bunch of
some disciplined boys. Another keyfeature of the indus culture which was violated by
Lothal was the houses with the entrance on the main street (it is notable that all the other
sites had side entrance of the houses). Dockyard was the main structure here, which
suggest that the harappan culture had an great inter civilizational trade relationship. Also
the discovery of bead factory give us the idea of the craftsmanship of the harappan people.
Also a jar was found which had a painting which resembled the cunning fox in Panchatantra.
Kalibangan -
The name kalibangan was given to this site just because black bangles were found at this
site. Even it is the only site where the coloured and decorative floor tiles were used at
houses. Also the fire altars found at the site suggest the cult of sacrifice was practiced.
The main feature i.e. the town planning was not done nicely and the drainage system was
also not present at this site. It was the only site which was protected by large wall which
enclosed both citadel and the lower part of the town. Evidences of ploughed field suggest
that farming was known to the harappan people and they were not only dependent on
hunting for food. Also the remains of camels have been found.
site. Even it is the only site where the coloured and decorative floor tiles were used at
houses. Also the fire altars found at the site suggest the cult of sacrifice was practiced.
The main feature i.e. the town planning was not done nicely and the drainage system was
also not present at this site. It was the only site which was protected by large wall which
enclosed both citadel and the lower part of the town. Evidences of ploughed field suggest
that farming was known to the harappan people and they were not only dependent on
hunting for food. Also the remains of camels have been found.
Dholavira -
After the discovery of this city in 1990 by J.P.Joshi, it was made sure that the harappans
used pictographic and logosyllabic script, as an inscription comprising ten large signs of
indus civilization script. This was the only city in the whole culture which used rain water
used pictographic and logosyllabic script, as an inscription comprising ten large signs of
indus civilization script. This was the only city in the whole culture which used rain water
harvesting system and used to conserve the whole water in the large reservoirs around the
city which could be used later in the time of crises.
city which could be used later in the time of crises.
Theories of Decline -
1. The decline might have occurred because of the Aryan Invasion, as after Aryans invaded
the Harappans, they people might have moved towards the southern India. This theory
was suggested by Wheeler and Sir Gordon.
the Harappans, they people might have moved towards the southern India. This theory
was suggested by Wheeler and Sir Gordon.
2. Historians like Dales, M.S.Vatsa, H.T.Lambrick gave the theory that the sudden decline
might have occurred because of the change in the course of river which forced the people
to migrate to some other place.
might have occurred because of the change in the course of river which forced the people
to migrate to some other place.
3. Earthquake was the reason said the historians Raikes and Dales, thus resulting the entire
civilization to leave that place and it might have occurred by some natural calamities is
the reason given by K.A.R.Kennedy.
the reason given by K.A.R.Kennedy.
4. Macay and S.R.Rao are the two historians who think that this might have occurred
because of a large and destructive flood which killed many and forced the other
remaining to move towards a more safer place.
because of a large and destructive flood which killed many and forced the other
remaining to move towards a more safer place.
5. Fairchild gives the whole credit to ecological disturbances but great historian D.P.Agarwal
says that this had occurred due to drying up of Ghaghar river and increaser in the Aridity
of the region which sounds practical as the whole region had now dried up which might
have occurred due to extensive use of resources by the harappan people.
says that this had occurred due to drying up of Ghaghar river and increaser in the Aridity
of the region which sounds practical as the whole region had now dried up which might
have occurred due to extensive use of resources by the harappan people.
Although many statements are given by different historians and all hold some value, just
because they had not been able to come to one conclusion. It might have more than one
reason just because the conditions would have been only so worst if more than one of the
above thing happened together which might have killed large number of people and forced
the remaining to migrate.
because they had not been able to come to one conclusion. It might have more than one
reason just because the conditions would have been only so worst if more than one of the
above thing happened together which might have killed large number of people and forced
the remaining to migrate.
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