The Indus Valley Civilization

Study Notes

Railway workers in India discovered ancient artifacts in the 1850s while constructing a railway connecting Lahore and Karachi.
These artifacts were later discovered to be remnants of the Indus Valley Civilization, which predates the Maurya Empire by 1500 years.
The civilization is divided into three phases: Early Harappan, Mature Harappan, and Late Harappan.
At its peak, the Indus Valley Civilization had a population of over 5 million people.
The cities were noted for their urban planning, baked brick houses, drainage systems, water supply systems, and large non-residential buildings.
The civilization began to decline around 1800 BCE, with evidence of trade with Mesopotamia ending and writing disappearing.
Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were two of the largest cities in the civilization, both featuring citadels and being situated along the Indus River.
The civilization had advanced sanitation systems, with well-ordered wastewater drainage and trash collection systems.
The Harappans demonstrated advanced architecture with dockyards, granaries, warehouses, brick platforms, and protective walls.
There is no conclusive evidence of palaces or temples, and the largest structures may be granaries.