Indus Valley Civilization Urban Planning and Architecture

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Questions and Answers

What was the size of the Granary found at Mohenjodaro?

50 meters long and 20 meters wide

30 meters long and 10 meters wide

45 meters long and 15 meters wide (correct)

60 meters long and 25 meters wide

What technique was used to make metal idols in the Indus Civilization?

Casting technique

Lost wax technique (correct)

Molding technique

Forging technique

What was the favorite animal of the people in the Indus Civilization?

Goat

Sheep

Bullock

Humped bull (correct)

What was the first crop cultivated by the Indus Civilization?

Cotton Signup and view all the answers

What was the status of trade and commerce in the Indus Civilization?

Advanced and thriving Signup and view all the answers

What was found from the site of Dholavira?

Construction of dams for water storage Signup and view all the answers

What was found from the site of Kalibanga?

Plowed fields Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary occupation of the people in the Indus Civilization?

Agriculture Signup and view all the answers

What was the notable feature of the city planning in the Indus Valley Civilization?

Grid system with roads cutting at right angles Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of the Great Bath in Mohenjodaro?

A bathing place for ritual bathing Signup and view all the answers

What was the ratio of bricks used to build houses in the Indus Valley Civilization?

4:2:1 Signup and view all the answers

What was the name given to the higher part of the city in the Indus Civilization?

Nagar-Durg Signup and view all the answers

What was the material used to join burnt bricks in the Great Bath?

Gypsum Signup and view all the answers

Who called the Great Bath 'one of the wonders of the world'?

John Marshall Signup and view all the answers

What was the typical shape of the cities in the Indus Valley Civilization?

Rectangular or square Signup and view all the answers

What was the exception to the use of baked bricks in the Indus Valley Civilization?

Kalibanga and Rangpur Signup and view all the answers

What was the basis of trade in the Indus Civilization?

Barter system Signup and view all the answers

What was the main industry of the Indus Civilization?

Textile industry Signup and view all the answers

What region is referred to as 'Meluha' in Mesopotamian records?

Sindh region Signup and view all the answers

What was the unit of society in the Indus Valley Civilization?

The family Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following metals was not known to the people of the Indus Valley Civilization?

Iron Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Lothal in the Indus Civilization?

It was a major port Signup and view all the answers

What was the system of measurement used in the Indus Civilization?

System based on multiples of 16 Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of Chanhudaro in the Indus Civilization?

It was a center for bead-making industry Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the scholar of Samveda?

Udgatri Signup and view all the answers

How many Richas are taken from Rigveda in Samaveda?

75 Signup and view all the answers

What is the origin of Indian classical music and dance?

Samaveda Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the commentary on the Shukla Yajurveda?

Satapatha Brahmana Signup and view all the answers

How many lessons are in the Shukla Yajurveda?

4 Signup and view all the answers

What is the meaning of the term 'Atharvaveda'?

Atharva + knowledge Signup and view all the answers

What is the period during which the Yajurveda dates to?

1100-800 BCE Signup and view all the answers

What is found in the Atharvaveda?

Tantra-mantra, solution of diseases and description of plants and medicines Signup and view all the answers

What types of food did the people of Indus civilization eat?

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of the method of writing used by the Harappans?

Boustrophedon Signup and view all the answers

How many original symbols were in the Harappan script?

64 Signup and view all the answers

What happened to the remaining part of the body in partial samadhi?

It was eaten by animals and birds Signup and view all the answers

What was the direction of writing in the Harappan script?

Right to left Signup and view all the answers

What is the theory that has been debunked about the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?

Invasion of the Aryans Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the historian who suggested that tectonic movements and floods caused the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?

Robert Raikes Signup and view all the answers

What is the current understanding about the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?

There were multiple reasons for the decline Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Urban Planning and Architecture

The Indus Valley Civilization was an urban civilization with well-organized city planning based on the grid system and drainage systems.
The cities were divided into a 'city citadel' (higher part) and a 'lower town' (lower part), with the ruling class residing in the city fort.
The cities were rectangular or square in shape, with roads cutting each other at right angles, dividing the city into several sections.
Buildings in the cities included bathrooms, granaries, assembly halls, priest's residence, and more.
Baked bricks were used in almost all the Indus Valley sites, with a ratio of 4:2:1, and lime and gypsum were also used in construction.
Each house had a courtyard, a kitchen, and a bathroom, with doors and windows opening towards the street.

Great Bath and Granaries

The Great Bath was a significant public place in Mohenjodaro, 11.88 meters long, 7 meters wide, and 2.46 meters deep.
The Great Bath was made of burnt bricks joined by gypsum and mortar, used for bathing during religious rituals.
The largest building of the Indus Civilization was the Granary found at Mohenjodaro, 45 meters long and 15 meters wide.
Remains of a granary with a total of 12 chambers made of two rows of 6-6 chambers have been found from Harappa.

Agriculture, Economy, and Trade

Agriculture was the most important occupation in the Indus civilization, with the first cultivation of cotton.
Stone and bronze tools were used for agricultural work, and evidence of the use of fertilizers has not been obtained.
Evidence of rice cultivation has been found from Lothal and Rangpur, with wheat, barley, rakhi, sesame, mustard, and millet being produced.
Animal husbandry was also practiced, with bullocks, cows, sheep, goats, and pigs being domesticated.
Trade and commerce were in an advanced stage, with both internal and external trade being developed, but no metal coins were used.
The barter system was the basis of trade, with trade relations with 'Meluha' (Sindh region) discussed in Mesopotamian records.

Society and Culture

The society of the Indus Valley Civilization was matrilineal, with the unit of society being traditionally the family.
The entire society was divided into priests, merchants, artisans, laborers, etc.
There is no evidence of the existence of a warrior class, whereas artisans and potters had a special place in the society.
Harappan women and men used to wear ornaments, and evidence of lipstick has been obtained from Chanhudaro.

Script and Language

The script of the Indus Valley has not yet been deciphered, with the Harappan script having about 64 original symbols.
The Harappan script was pictographic, written from right to left, and called 'Boustrophedon'.

Decline and End

The reasons for the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization are not clear, with different historians having different views.
Theories include the invasion of the Aryans, tectonic movements and floods, drying up of rivers, deforestation, and destruction of green cover.

Vedic Period

The Samveda is considered the origin of Indian classical music and dance.
It is considered a storehouse of sweet mantras.
The Samaveda Samhita is not meant to be read as a text, but rather listened to like music.
Yajurveda means 'worship knowledge', with two types - Krishna (black/dark) and Shukla (white/bright).
The Atharvaveda is dated to 1000-800 BC and includes Tantra-mantra, solutions of diseases, and descriptions of plants and medicines.

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Description

Explore the urban planning and architecture of the Indus Valley Civilization, including its grid system, drainage systems, and building designs. Learn about the city layout, roads, and notable features of this ancient civilization.