(R.SQUARE)History of Indus Valley Civilization

Background: 

This civilization was named as Indus Civilization as it was formed in the Indus River Basin. The culture of the Indus Valley Civilization is often referred to as the Harappan Culture or Harappan Civilization. This discovery story is excellent. The town of Mohenjo-Daro in the Larkana district of Pakistan's Sindh province had a high mound of soil.

The locals used to say it was a mound of dead people (the word Mohenjo-Daro means the same thing). Keep digging. Unexpectedly the patterns of the Copper Age come out. At the same time, in 1922-23, through the efforts of Dayaram Sahani, his antiquities were also discovered at Harappa in the district of Montgomery in the west of the Punjab. The Department of Archeology, led by John Marshall, continued the search and discovered many more specimens.

Costumes: During Indus Valley Civilization

Geographical Location:

The oldest Indus Valley Civilization in the subcontinent covers a vast area. Patterns of this civilization have been most discovered in Harappa at Mohenjo-Daro. Yet that civilization was not confined to the Indus Basin or those two cities. Patterns of this civilization have been found in different parts of Punjab, Sindh Province of Pakistan, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat of India. Historians believe that the Indus Valley Civilization developed over a wide geographical area from the Punjab to the Arabian Sea.

Period:

Historians differ on the period of the Indus Valley Civilization. Some believe that the period from 3500 BC to 1500 BC was the period of rise and fall of this civilization. Some historians believe that the invasion of the Aryan people led to the end of the Indus Valley Civilization in 1500 BC or 1400 BC. However, Mortimer Wheeler thinks that the period of this civilization is from 2500 to 1500 BC.

Political situation:

Nothing is known about the political life and governance of the people of Indus Valley Civilization.

The urban layout of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa was almost identical. From the ruins of these, it is clear that the cities were built on high foundations as planned. One fort was built on a high foundation on one side of the city. All around was protected by a wall. The rulers of the city lived in the city fort. The administrative house was also within the fort. The city had an entrance. Looking at the castle or huge building, it seems that the same kind of centralized governance system has been prevalent in the two cities for ages. This administration controlled the life of the people.

Social status:

In the age of Indus Civilization, people lived in a socialized environment. The single-family system was introduced there. In the age of Indus civilization, there was class division in the society. Not all people get equal opportunities. Society was divided into rich and poor classes. Farmers lived in villages. Patterns of separate accommodation for the rich and the workers have been found in the city.

They mainly used yarn and wool for clothing. The social system of the Indus Valley Civilization was matriarchal. The women were very fancy. Among their favorite ornaments were necklaces, rings, pendants, bracelets, bangles, bracelets, foot ornaments etc. They wore long dresses designed. Men also used ornaments.

Economic status:

The economy of the Indus Valley Civilization was largely dependent on agriculture. Moreover, another major aspect of the economy was animal husbandry. Apart from agriculture and animal husbandry, they also made considerable progress in pottery making, metallurgy, weaving, ornament making, stonework, etc. In order to sell these high-quality industrial products, the merchants there maintained commercial contacts with foreign countries. The merchants had trade contacts with Afghanistan, Baluchistan, Central Asia, Persia, Mesopotamia, South India, Rajput Ana, Gujarat etc.

Religious status:

No traces of temples or monasteries have been found in the Indus Valley Civilization, so it is not possible to have a clear idea of ​​their religion. However, there is no doubt about the religion they had. Although there are no temples or houses of worship, numerous terracotta statues of women have been found in various places. It is believed that they worshiped such idols. Mother worship was very popular among the Indus people. They also worshiped trees, rocks, snakes, and animals. The Indus people believed in the hereafter. That is why they used to leave the things and ornaments used by the deceased in the grave.

Contribution of Indus Civilization:

Indus Civilization is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. The contribution of this civilization is discussed below.

Town plans:

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are the largest cities discovered in the Indus Valley. The houses are all made of terracotta or sunbaked brick. From the design of the houses in the cities it is easy to see that the inhabitants of the Indus civilization were accustomed to advanced urban life. The plans for Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were the same. The paved road has gone through the city. The roads were straight. Each house had open space, wells and bathrooms. Small drains were connected to the main sewers for drainage. Roads were kept clean. There were lined lampposts along the way.

Measurement method:

The inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilization learned to measure the weight of goods. Their discovery of this method of measurement is considered an important contribution to civilization. They come in different shapes for different product weights used different weights. They also knew how to measure the length with a scalpel scale.

Industry:

When it comes to discussing the art sense of the inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilization, the first thing to talk about is pottery. They knew how to use the potter's wheel and could use it to make beautiful clay pots. The pots were often decorated with beautiful designs. The weavers were skilled in weaving. Metal was used to make furniture, weapons and ornaments. They learned to make bronze in a mixture of copper and tin. Craftsmen used to make utensils from silver, copper, bronze etc. Moreover, they were skilled in making metal ornaments like gold, silver, copper, and bronze. Among the ornaments, rings, bracelets, nose rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets etc. were notable. The inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilization did not know the use of iron. Apart from metal, they could also make ornaments with precious stones. There were also skilled craftsmen of other handicrafts including ivory.

Architecture and Sculpture:

The inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilization have left traces of important and excellent architectural styles. A two-room to twenty-five-room house was also found there. Again, the existence of two-three storied houses has been discovered somewhere. A notable example of Mohenjo-Daro architecture is the 'Great Auditorium', which was built over an area of ​​80 feet. Moreover, a huge palace has been found. Huge granaries have also been found in Harappa. In Mohenjo-Daro, there is a large bathhouse, with a large pool in the middle, suitable for swimming.

The inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilization also had skills in sculpture. Although the number of sculptures carved in stone was small, their artistic and technical skills were noteworthy. A total of 13 sculptures have been found in this period. The head of a statue made of limestone has been found. A dancing female figure has been found in Mohenjo-Daro. Besides, small people and animals made of clay have also been found. Notable works of art found in Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are about 2,500 different types of seals. These were used for religious and commercial purposes.

M. Zaman (RASEL).