INDUS RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION

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BY: Fuad, Saisika, Karandeep, and

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CITIES:
1.

Two major cities called HARAPPA and MOHENJODARO. They were about 400 miles apart from each other. At its height, HARAPPA had about 35000 inhabitants and MOHENJO-DARO had about 40000 inhabitants. Both cities were carefully planned. Both cities were divided into large walled neighborhoods, with narrow lanes separating the rows of the houses. Houses varied in size. Some reaching as high as three stories, but all followed the same plan of a square courtyard surrounded by rooms.

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CENTRAL GOVERNMENT:
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Both cities had well organized governments. Religion and political power were closely linked. Rulers of the HARAPPAN civilization based their power on a belief in divine assistance.

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GATEWAY AT HARAPPA

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TRADITIONAL ECONOMY:
1.

The HARAPPAN economy was based primarily on farming. The INDUS RIVER VALLEY flooded every year, providing rich soil for the growing of wheat, barley and peas, the chief crops. THE INDUS RIVER VALLEY civilization also carried on extensive trade with city states in Mesopotamia. Textiles and food were imported from the Sumerian city states in exchange for copper, lumber, precious stones, cotton and various types of luxury goods. Much of this trade was carried by ships via the Persian Gulf. Although, some undoubtedly went by land.

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ORGANIZED RELIGION:
Priests at court probably prayed to a god or goddess of fertility to guarantee the annual harvest.
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The royal palace and the holy temple were combined in the Citadel or fortress. According to reliable historical sources the HARAPPANs prayed to the mother goddess.

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SOCIAL CLASSES:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

THE ROYALTY THE PRIESTS THE UPPER CLASS THE WARRIORS MERCHANTS MIDDLE CLASS PEASANTS SLAVES

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INDUS SINDHU AND MOHENJODARO RUINS

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ART AND ARCHITECTURE:

1.

Most buildings were constructed of mud bricks baked in ovens and were square, forming a grid pattern. Public wells provided a regular supply of water for all the inhabitants. Bathrooms featured an advance drainage system. waste water flowed out to drains located under the streets and then was carried to sewage pits beyond the city walls.

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INDUS RIVER AND WELLS IN MOHENJO-DARO

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ROADS, BRIDGES AND OTHER PUBLIC WORKS:

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The main broad streets ran in a north-south direction and were crossed by smaller eastwest roads. Bridges and embankments were built to reduce the effects of flood and to use for transportation. A system of chutes took household trash from houses to street level garbage bins.

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SYSTEM OF WRITING:
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Invention of numerals. 0-9 first came out of the brilliant minds of the early Indian scientists. Language was Sanskrit. Only a few written documents were found in the ruins of the two cities.

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LABOR SPECIALIZATION:
1.

People who worked in different public services were highly trained in their respective jobs. They had to prove their competency in an exam taken by the royalty. Only upper class, warriors, priests and some merchants received education besides the royalty. And for that reason they had higher jobs and more wealth and status in the society. Peasants were uneducated but skilled. Both state had their own strong military force for defense against foreign invasion.

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ENVIROMENT
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Extreme geography Deserts, Mountains, Forests, and Jungles Because of this, there unpredictable periods of flooding, droughts, and monsoons. On the other hand, this can be a huge asset. The Himalayas provided protection against invasions from the north. The water ways provided a great deal of trading and commerce.

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