Indus Valley Civilization Cities

Indus Valley Cities

• Located in modern-day Pakistan and northwestern India
• Major cities:
  • Mohenjo-daro
  • Harappa
  • Lothal
  • Chanhudaro
  • Dholavira
• Characteristics:
  • Well-planned cities with advanced urban infrastructure
  • Grid-based street pattern
  • Advanced drainage system
  • No palaces or temples, indicating a possible egalitarian society

Mohenjo-daro Architecture

• Built using sun-dried mud bricks and baked bricks
• Architecture features:
  • The Great Bath: a large public bath with advanced drainage system
  • Granary: a large building for storing grains
  • Marketplace: a central area for trading and commerce
  • Residential buildings: multi-story houses with advanced sewage system
• Notable features:
  • The city had a sophisticated system of roads, drains, and public buildings
  • Buildings were made with a high degree of precision and craftsmanship

Harappan Script

• Undeciphered writing system used by the Harappans
• Features:
  • Logographic and syllabic signs
  • Over 400 symbols, but most inscriptions are short
  • Written from right to left
• Discovery:
  • Found on seals, pottery, and other artifacts
  • Most inscriptions are short, ranging from 1 to 26 symbols
• Significance:
  • If deciphered, could provide insights into Harappan language and culture

Ancient Indian Economy

• Economic activities:
  • Agriculture: wheat, barley, rice, and millet were main crops
  • Trade: trade networks extended to Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China
  • Crafts: pottery, weaving, and metallurgy were prominent
• Economic organization:
  • Possibly a decentralized economy with little state control
  • Evidence of a system of weights and measures
• Significance:
  • The Harappan economy was one of the most advanced in the ancient world
  • Trade networks played a crucial role in the growth and decline of the civilization

Indus Valley Cities

• Located in modern-day Pakistan and northwestern India, comprising major cities such as Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Lothal, Chanhudaro, and Dholavira
• Characterized by well-planned cities with advanced urban infrastructure, featuring grid-based street patterns and advanced drainage systems

Mohenjo-daro Architecture

• Built using a combination of sun-dried mud bricks and baked bricks
• Featured a sophisticated system of roads, drains, and public buildings, including:
  • The Great Bath, a large public bath with an advanced drainage system
  • Granary, a large building for storing grains
  • Marketplace, a central area for trading and commerce
  • Residential buildings, multi-story houses with advanced sewage systems

Harappan Script

• An undeciphered writing system used by the Harappans, featuring:
  • Logographic and syllabic signs, with over 400 symbols
  • Short inscriptions, most ranging from 1 to 26 symbols, written from right to left
• Found on seals, pottery, and other artifacts, holding significance for potential insights into Harappan language and culture if deciphered

Ancient Indian Economy

• Featured a diverse range of economic activities, including:
  • Agriculture, with main crops being wheat, barley, rice, and millet
  • Trade, with networks extending to Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China
  • Crafts, with prominent industries in pottery, weaving, and metallurgy
• Characterized by a possibly decentralized economy with little state control, featuring a system of weights and measures, and a significant role for trade networks in the growth and decline of the civilization