Indus Civilization Urban Planning and Art

Indus Civilisation Study Notes

Urban Planning

• City Layout: Grid-like pattern with streets laid out at right angles.
• Drainage System: Advanced drainage system including covered drains and indoor plumbing.
• Public Structures: Large public baths (e.g., Great Bath of Mohenjo-Daro), granaries, and assembly halls.
• Building Materials: Primarily baked bricks; some use of wood for roofing and doors.
• Zoning: Residential, commercial, and public areas separated to enhance functionality.

Art and Pottery

• Terracotta Figurines: Numerous small statues of animals and humans, often depicting religious or cultural significance.
• Pottery Styles: Standardized pot shapes, decorated with painted motifs, geometric designs, and animal figures.
• Beadwork: Extensive use of semi-precious stones for making beads, showcasing advanced craftsmanship.
• Seals: Use of carved seals with intricate designs, possibly for trade or administrative purposes, often featuring mythological themes.

Social Structure

• Stratification: Presence of a hierarchical society, inferred from artifacts and housing.
• Occupational Specialization: Evidence of various professions, including artisans, traders, and farmers.
• Role of Religion: Possible priestly class indicated by symbols and seals suggesting ritualistic practices.
• Gender Roles: Limited direct evidence, but figurines suggest possible roles for women in society and religion.

Trade Networks

• Regional and Long-Distance Trade: Trade with neighboring regions (e.g., Mesopotamia, Persia) evidenced by artifacts.
• Goods Traded: Spices, textiles, beads, and metalwork exchanged for raw materials and finished goods.
• Standardized Weights and Measures: Indication of a complex system of trade, possibly using uniform weight systems for commerce.
• Harbors: Evidence of ports (e.g., Lothal) facilitating maritime trade activities.

Writing System

• Indus Script: Undeciphered script, known from seals and pottery.
• Characters: Over 400 distinct symbols, possibly used for administrative purposes or trade.
• Direction: Script appears to be written both left to right and right to left.
• Lack of Decipherment: No bilingual texts found, hindering understanding of language and communication methods.

Urban Planning

• Cities were planned with a grid-like pattern, with streets laid out at right angles
• Advanced drainage systems included covered plumbing and indoor plumbing
• Public structures were large, including public baths, granaries, and assembly halls
• Baked bricks were the primary building material; wood was used for roofs and doors
• Residential, commercial, and public zones were separated for functionality

Art and Pottery

• Small terracotta figurines of animals and humans were common, depicting religious or cultural significance.
• Pottery designs were standardized in shape with painted motifs, geometric designs, and animal figures
• Beadwork was extensive, with semi-precious stones demonstrating advanced craftsmanship.
• Carved seals with intricate designs were possibly used for trade and administrative purposes. They often featured mythological themes.

Social Structure

• Artifacts and housing suggest a hierarchical society
• There is evidence of various professions, including artisans, traders, and farmers
• Symbols and seals suggest a priestly class and ritualistic practices
• Figurines suggest possible roles for women in society and religion, but there is limited direct evidence

Trade Networks

• Artifacts suggest trade with neighboring regions (e.g., Mesopotamia, Persia)
• Spices, textiles, beads, and metalwork were traded for raw materials and finished goods
• Standardized weights and measures, possibly for uniform trade practices, indicate a complex system of commerce
• Ports (e.g., Lothal) facilitating maritime trade activity were present

Writing System

• Seals and pottery contain the Indus script which has yet to be deciphered
• Over 400 distinct symbols exist, possible for administrative or trade purposes
• The script was written both left to right and right to left
• The lack of bilingual texts has hindered the understanding of the language and communication methods