Harappan Civilisation: Unravelling the Mysteries After 100 Years of Discovery
- September 20, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
Harappan Civilisation: Unravelling the Mysteries After 100 Years of Discovery
Sub: History
Sec: Ancient India
Why in News:
The centenary of the discovery of the Harappan civilisation is being commemorated on September 20, 2024, marking 100 years since the announcement of this monumental archaeological find.
Historical Significance of the Discovery: The 1924 Announcement
Date: September 20, 1924
Publication: The Illustrated London News
Author: John Marshall, then Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), revealed the discovery of what is now known as the Harappan civilisation.
Headline: First Light on a Long-forgotten Civilisation: New Discoveries of an Unknown Prehistoric Past
Description: The article highlighted the discovery of an ancient civilisation, which we now refer to as the Indus Valley or Harappan civilisation, covering present-day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION/HARAPPAN CIVILISATION
Indus Valley Civilization was the first major civilization in South Asia, which spread across a vast area of land in present-day India and Pakistan (around 12 lakhs sq.km).
The time period of mature Indus Valley Civilization is estimated between BC. 2700- BC.1900 ie. for 800 years. But early Indus Valley Civilization had existed even before BC.2700.
| Indus Valley Sites | Location | Discoverer | Key Features / Specialties |
| Harappa | Montgomery district, Punjab, Pakistan | Dayaram Sahni (1921) | Red pottery with black designs, seals out of stones, divided into Citadel (west) and Lower Town (east), Citadel on the banks of River Ravi |
| Mohenjo-daro | Larkana district, Sind, Pakistan | R. D. Banerji (1922) | Great Bath, Great Granary, Dancing Girl, Man with Beard, Cotton, Assembly Hall, Bank of River Indus, “Mount of the Dead,” Destruction by flood or invasion |
| Chanhudaro | Bank of Indus River | Gopal Majumdar and Mackey (1931) | Pre-Harappan culture (Jhangar and Jhukar Cultures), only site without a citadel |
| Kalibangan | Rajasthan, on the banks of River Ghaggar | A. Ghosh (1953) | Fire altars, bones of camels, evidence of furrows, horse remains, third capital of the Indus Empire |
| Lothal | Gujarat, near Bhogava River | S. R. Rao (1957) | Fire altars, dockyard and earliest port, storehouse, double burial, rice husk, front entrance houses (exception) |
| Ropar | Punjab, on the banks of River Sutlej | Y. D. Sharma (1955) | Dog buried with humans |
| Banawali | Haryana, on the banks of the lost River Saraswathi | – | Barley cultivation |
| Dholavira | Khadir Beyt, Rann of Kutch, Gujarat | J. P. Joshi / Rabindra Singh (1990) | Largest site in India (until Rakhigarhi), 3 parts, large open area for ceremonies, large letters of Harappan script (signboards) |
| Religion of Indus Valley | Details |
| Deities | Pashupathi Mahadev (Proto Shiva), Mother goddess, Nature/Animal worship (Unicorn, Dove, Peepal Tree, Fire) |
| Practices | Amulets, Idol worship (not a feature of Aryans), no temples constructed, similarity to Hindu practices |
| Societal Aspects | No caste system |
| Society and Culture | Details |
| Weights and Measures | Systematic method (16 and its multiples) |
| Craftsmanship and Script | The Harappans were known for their seals with intricate carvings of humans, animals, and scripts within small dimensions (2 cm by 1.5 cm). Pictographic, Boustrophedon, efforts to decipher by I. Mahadevan |
| Social Structure | Equal status for men and women, economic inequality (non-egalitarian society) |
| Textiles | Spinning and weaving |
| Burial Practices | Three types: burial, cremation, and post-cremation (burial most common) |
| Races | Proto-Australoids, Mediterranean (Dravidians), Mongoloids, Nordics in city culture |
Technological and Urban Excellence
At its peak, the Harappan civilisation was a “technological powerhouse” with advanced town planning:
Water harvesting systems
Reservoirs and sullage systems
Massive fortification walls
Bronze and copper metallurgy
Stadium, warehouses, seafaring boats
Bead-making and terracotta crafts
Seals made of steatite, inscribed with realistic motifs and scripts.
Chronology of the Harappan Civilisation
Phases of the Civilisation
Early Harappan Phase: 3200 BCE to 2600 BCE
Mature Harappan Phase: 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE
Late Harappan Phase: 1900 BCE to 1500 BCE (Decline)
Geographical Spread
The civilisation spanned across India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, flourishing along the banks of the Indus and Saraswati rivers.
1,500 sites in India (Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, etc.), 500 sites in Pakistan, and several sites in Afghanistan.
Northernmost Site: Manda, located in Jammu (now in Jammu and Kashmir, India).
Easternmost Site: Alamgirpur, located in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Westernmost Site: Sutkagen Dor, located near the Makran coast of Pakistan.
Southernmost site: Daimabad, Maharashtra.
The Roots in Mehrgarh
Archaeologists, like R.S. Bisht, point to Mehrgarh in Balochistan (Pakistan) as the precursor to the Harappan civilisation, dating back to 7000 BCE.
Period: Neolithic (around 7000 BCE).
Economy: Early agriculture (barley, wheat, cotton) and animal domestication (cattle, sheep, goats).
Burial Practices: Elaborate burials with grave goods.
Early Cotton Cultivation: Evidence of cotton farming around 5000 BCE.