Indus Valley Civilization: Characteristics & Facts to Know

The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), also known as the Harappan Civilization, is one of the most important periods in the history of India. It is one of the earliest civilizations of Near East and South Asia. The civilization lasted from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE and the major growth of IVC was seen between 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE. Based on this, the IVC era can be divided into three phases, including the Early Harappan Phase (3300-2600 BCE), the Mature Harappan Phase (2600-1750 BCE), and the Later Harappan Phase (1750-1300 BCE).

Indus Valley Civilization was the largest civilization at that time, covering the areas of northwestern & western India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The civilization is not just popular for its large spread, but also for its unique characteristics as discussed further in this article. To know more about the differences between the Indus Valley Civilization and its Contemporary Civilization.

Characteristics of The Indus Valley Civilization

Named after the Indus River System, the Indus Valley Civilization was spread across a larger area as compared to the other contemporary civilizations. It covers almost 1,600 km (from east to west), and 1,400 km (from north to south). The people of IVC used to domesticate animals, practice agriculture, and have a great knowledge of architecture. Some most significant features of the Indus Valley Civilization are listed below:

1. Town Planning

The structures built on IVC sites say a lot about the architectural sense of the people living there. They used to live in well-built houses and practice some advanced methods for the conservation of resources. Here are some important facts you must know about their town planning:

• There is no evidence of temples, palaces, or pyramids. However, it has been found that the people of IVC followed a well-structured grid pattern to build houses.
• They were utility-driven and focused on minimizing resource wastage.
• They put major emphasis on sewer management, disaster management, and water conservation.
• The spatial distribution of the city is another important characteristic of the Indus Valley Civilization. The cities used to be either 2-fold or 3-fold. In a 2-fold city, there was a citadel for elite residents and a lower town for the normal people. On the other hand, a 3-fold city was divided into three parts, including the citadel, the middle town, and the lower town. Dholavira is an example of 3-fold city.
• The most widely used building materials in IVC include kiln-fired bricks, mud bricks, wood, and reeds.
• In every house, there used to be a courtyard surrounded by rooms. However, the number of rooms was found to be different at different sites.
• Every house had its own drainage system connecting to the street drains.

2. Agriculture

Arable agriculture and animal husbandry were among the major sources of economy for the people of the Indus Valley Civilization. The rivers of the area were either snow-fed or monsoon-fed. The annual floods occurring in the area were highly responsible for the fertility of the soil of the IVC area. Some additional points you must know about the agricultural practices performed during IVC are as follows:

• Irrigation and Water Conservation were among the most important activities performed by the locals of IVC.
• They used to grow cereals, pulses, cotton, and several other plants, including mustard, sesame, dates, and legumes.
• Evidence of rice cultivation was found in Lothal & Banawali and that of cotton in Lothal.
• Granaries were used to store agricultural surplus.
• Evidence of dairy farming has also been found in Kotada Badli of Gujarat.

3. Subsistence Base

The subsistence strategies of the people of the Indus Valley Civilization include the use of technology, agricultural surplus, animal husbandry, and tools. They used the technology of canals, dams, and reservoirs for irrigation. For agriculture, people of IVC were using wooden plough (found in Kalibhangan field). Apart from this, they were using tools made of copper, bronze, and stone. A large number of copper tools have been found in the initial stage of IVC.

They used to domesticate animals like dogs, buffalo, horses, cattles, etc. Though there is no surety about the domestication of horses, a horse has been found in Surkotada. Also, they used the bones of wild animals to make seals.

4. Religious Beliefs

There is no evidence of temples, other religious buildings, or priestly influence in the IVC. However, a seal mother Goddess (called the Fertility Cult) was found in Harappa, Mohenjaodaro, and Banawali. The seal shows a tree coming out of the womb of the Goddess. Therefore, it can be said that worship of mother Earth might have started in IVC. Along with this, a seal of the male God (called the Pashupati seal) has also been found.

The people of the Indus Valley Civilization also used to worship nature and animals, such as Peepal tree, Humped Bull, Snake, and Unicorn. Moreover, the Great Bath at Kalibangan was used for ritual ablution. The cylindrical seal and triangular cake at Kalibangan give evidence of people’s belief in human and animal sacrifice during the IVC era. For more information about the Religion of Indus Valley Civilization.

5. Trade & Commerce

The people of IVC were also well-versed in trade and commerce methods. Commercial activities were one of the primary reasons behind the flourishing economy of the Harappan civilization. The rural areas were linked with the urban areas due to agricultural surplus and raw materials. They also used to follow a barter system for the exchange of goods and sometimes seals as coins. The following are some of the most important goods (along with their major sources) that were traded during the IVC era:

• Gold from Kolar Mines
• Rice from Banawali
• Copper from Khetri Mines
• Cotton from Lothal and Sindh
• Sea-shell from Gujarat coasts
• Lead & Zinc from Rajasthan
• Tin from Haryana
• Lapis Lazuli (a colorful semi-precious stone) from Afghanistan

Indus Valley River

As you might be aware, the Harappan Civilization was named Indus Valley Civilization after the river Indus, which is a trans-Himalayan river of the South Asia. It is one of the longest rivers in the world with an annual flow of around 58 cubic miles. Located in the middle of Sindh and Punjab, Indus river is considered one of the primary factors responsible behind the rise of the greatest ancient civilization, i.e. the Indus Valley Civilization.

Due to the river, the soil of the nearby was extremely fertile, which influenced the rise of agriculture during the IVC. The river was also the major source of irrigation for the people of IVC. Another important role that the Indus river played in the development of mature harrapan phase was allowing for transportation of food and crops through it. The river was acting as a mode of transportation for different types of trading, including foreign trading, article trading, and agriculture trading.

Important Facts About Indus Valley Civilization

The period of IVC has always been an important topic for the UPSC CSE examination. From the UPSC point of view, you must be aware of the below-listed facts about the Indus Valley Civilization:

1. The population of IVC was more than 5 million.
2. It was John Marshell who excavated Harappa in 1920 and discovered that it was the first ever urban site.
3. Mohenjadaro and Harappa are the capital cities of IVC.
4. Sutkagendor, Balakot, Lothal, Allahdino, and Kuntasi are the port cities of IVC.
5. IVC was the largest among the four civilizations of the world, the other three being Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China.
6. Many archeologists also call it the ‘Indus-Saraswati Civilizations’ instead of IVC on the basis of the two river systems while others call it Harappan Civilization as Harappa was the first urban site to be discovered.
7. Most of the IVC people were involved in artistic or trading activities.
8. Though there were no temples or priestly influence during IVC, archeologists have found evidence of worship of nature and animals.
9. The Great Bath (for ritual bathing), the Great Granary (for agricultural surplus), the Lothal Dockyard (for sea trade), and the Dholavira Reservoir (for irrigation) are some most important structures of IVC.
10. The smallest site in the IVC was Allahdino.

Though there is no clarity about the center of power in IVC, it can be clearly seen that everything (from trade & commerce to agriculture, and other activities) was being managed very well. There might have been some type of government that instructed the public to perform tasks in a certain way. Trade and commerce were very well-regulated and might have been the biggest reason behind the flourishing economy of the civilization. Many urban settlements emerged even after the decline of IVC, but the legacy of the Indus Valley Civilization remains the same.

Related Important Articles:

• Major Sites in Indus Valley Civilization
• Religion of Indus Valley Civilization
• Architecture in Harappan Civilization
• Town Planning and Drainage System of Harappan Civilization
• Major Harappan Sites
• Economic Life of Harappan Civilization

FAQs on Indus Valley Civilization

1. Did the people of IVC build temples for worship?

Archeologists have not found any evidence of temples in the IVC, however, they have found that people of IVC used to worship nature (Peepal tree, mother earth, fire, etc), and animals. A seal of male God (Pashupati seal) was also found.

2. Name the seven cities in the Indus Valley Civilization

The seven important cities of IVC were Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Kalibangan, Chanhudaro, Lothal, Banawali, and Dholavira.

3. Which IVC site got the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980?

Mohenjodaro got the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

4. In which state/province was Mohenjodaro located?

Mohenjodaro was located in Sindh Province.

5. The figure of ‘a chariot tied to a pair of bullocks’ was found in which IVC site?

The figure of ‘a chariot tied to a pair of bullocks’ was found in Dholavira.