Indus Valley Civilization UPSC Notes – Features, Cities, Art, Decline

Chronology & Phases

Time Span: 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.

Phases:

Early Harappan: 3300–2600 BCE

Mature Harappan: 2600–1900 BCE

Late Harappan: 1900–1300 BCE 

Geographical Extent

Core Regions: Indus River basin (modern-day Pakistan), Ghaggar-Hakra River (India).

Spread: From Sutkagendor (Balochistan) in the west to Alamgirpur (Uttar Pradesh) in the east, and from Manda (Jammu) in the north to Daimabad (Maharashtra) in the south. 

Urban Planning & Architecture:

City Layout: Grid pattern with fortified citadel and lower town.

Infrastructure:

Advanced drainage and sewage systems.

Standardized baked brick houses.

Public structures like the Great Bath (Mohenjo-daro).

Notable Sites:

Mohenjo-daro: Great Bath, granary.

Dholavira: Water reservoirs, unique city planning.

Lothal: Dockyard, bead factory.

Kalibangan: Fire altars, ploughed fields.

Rakhigarhi: One of the largest IVC sites. 

Economy & Trade

Agriculture: Cultivation of wheat, barley, peas, sesame, and cotton.

Animal Husbandry: Domestication of cattle, buffalo, sheep, and goats.

Crafts: Pottery, bead-making, metallurgy (copper, bronze, tin, lead), seal carving.

Trade:

Internal: Exchange of goods among cities and villages.

External: Trade with Mesopotamia (evidenced by Indus seals found there).

Weights & Measures: Standardized system using chert weights. 

Social & Cultural Life

Society: Possibly egalitarian; absence of clear evidence of a ruling class.

Religion:

Worship of Mother Goddess and proto-Shiva figures.

Use of fire altars (e.g., Kalibangan).

Animal worship indicated by seals.

Script: Undeciphered; found on seals and pottery.

Art:

Terracotta figurines, bronze statues (e.g., Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro).

Ornamental beads and jewelry. 

Diet & Eating Habits

Staple Foods: Wheat, barley, lentils, and possibly rice.

Animal Products: Evidence of meat consumption (cattle, buffalo, goat, pig, chicken).

Dairy: Residues suggest consumption of milk and dairy products.

Special Finds: Multigrain "laddus" found in Rajasthan, possibly used in rituals. 

Transportation & Roads

Roads: Well-planned streets intersecting at right angles.

Transport:

Bullock carts for land transport.

Boats for riverine and possibly sea trade (evidenced by dockyard at Lothal). 

Political Structure

Governance: No definitive evidence of centralized monarchy.

Administration: Uniformity in city planning and artifacts suggests some form of administrative control.

Military: Lack of evidence for standing armies or warfare. 

Decline of the Civilization

Timeline: Decline began around 1900 BCE; cities largely abandoned by 1700 BCE.

Possible Causes:

Climate change leading to droughts.

Decline in trade with Mesopotamia.

River course changes affecting agriculture and trade routes.

Overexploitation of resources.

Invasion theories (e.g., Aryan invasion) are largely discredited.

Aftermath: Transition to rural cultures; elements of IVC culture persisted in later societies. 

 Major Sites & Mnemonics

Key Sites:

Harappa: Punjab, Pakistan.

Mohenjo-daro: Sindh, Pakistan.

Dholavira: Gujarat, India.

Lothal: Gujarat, India.

Kalibangan: Rajasthan, India.

Rakhigarhi: Haryana, India.

Banawali: Haryana, India.

Alamgirpur: Uttar Pradesh, India.

Daimabad: Maharashtra, India.

Mnemonic for Sites: "DAMS"

D: Daimabad (South)

A: Alamgirpur (East)

M: Manda (North)

S: Sutkagendor (West) 

Mnemonics for Features

"INDUS PEACE":

I: Infrastructure

N: Neolithic Origins

D: Diverse Artifacts

U: Urban Centres

S: Seals and Script

P: Pottery

E: Economic Prosperity

A: Arts and Crafts

C: Cultural Practices

E: Environmental Adaptation 

Practice Questions

1. Discuss the urban planning features of the Indus Valley Civilization and their significance.

2. Analyze the factors that led to the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization.

3. Evaluate the economic structure of the Indus Valley Civilization with reference to agriculture and trade.

4. Examine the evidence of religious practices in the

 Indus Valley Civilization.

5. Assess the significance of seals and script in understanding the Indus Valley Civilization.