Indus Valley Civilization Facts

• These notes cover the Harappan Civilization, including key sites, rivers, and important facts for exam preparation.

Harappan Sites and Excavators

• Harappa is located on the Ravi River
  • Daya Ram Sahni excavated it.
• Mohenjodaro is located on the Indus River
  • R.D. Bannerji excavated it.
• Chanhudaro is located on the Indus River
  • N.G. Mazumdar excavated it.
• Lothal is located on the Bhogava River
  • S.R. Rao excavated it.
• Kalibanga is located on the Ghaggar River
  • Amalanand Ghosh excavated it.
• Banawali is located on the Ghaggar River
  • R.S. Bisht excavated it.
• Dholavira is located on the Luni River
  • J.P. Joshi excavated it.

Rivers and Their Old Names

• Indus was known as Sindhu
• Jhelum was known as Vitasta
• Chenab was known as Asikani
• Beas was known as Vipas
• Ravi was known as Parushni
• Sutlej was known as Sutudri
• Ghaggar was known as Drishadvati

Indus Valley Civilization: Important Points

• Mohenjodaro's key archaeological finds included the Great Granary, Great Bath, a bronze image of a woman, and Mesopotamian seals
• Harappa's key archaeological finds included six granaries in a row, a cemetery, and wheat and barley in wooden mortar
• Chanhudaro was a city without a citadel
  • Also featured terracotta model of a bullock cart
• Lothal had a dockyard.
• Kalibanga had double burial sites, a ploughed field surface, and 7 fire alters
• Banawali shows a lack of a systematic drainage system
  • Also features clay figures of the Mother Goddess, a large well, and a bath.
• Dholavira was the only site to be divided into 3 parts
  • Also had an underground drainage system and a stadium.
• Surkotda contained an oval grave, bones of a horse, and pot burials.

Important Facts About Indus Valley Civilization

• Mohenjodaro was the largest site of the Indus Civilization.
• Rakhigarhi was the largest Indian site of the Indus Civilization.
• Lions were not known to the Indus people.
• Lothal was an ancient port
  • Evidence of fire worship was also discovered
• Animal (unicorn bull) and tree worship (Pipal) were also part of the culture
• The chief male deity was "Pashupati Mahadeva."
• Animals known to them: buffaloes, bulls, oxen, sheep, asses, goats, elephants, pigs, and dogs.
• Produced: wheat, barley, pulses, rice, etc.
• Used stone tools and bronze
• Iron was not known to them
• Seals were made of steatite with pictures of one-horned bull, buffalo, tiger, rhinoceros, goat, and elephant