Basic Facts
- IVC = Proto-history + Bronze Age civilisation।
- Chalcolithic Age-এর থেকেও পুরোনো ও অনেক বেশি উন্নত।
- প্রধান কেন্দ্র: Indus–Saraswati অঞ্চলে।
Phases
- Pre-Harappan: 3200–2600 BCE → Mehrgarh মূল কেন্দ্র।
- Mature Harappan: 2600–1900 BCE → সর্বোচ্চ নগরোন্নতি।
- Late Harappan: 1900–1300 BCE → পরিবর্তন ও পতনের ধাপ।
Trick: Pre-2600 → Mature-2600–1900 → Late-1900+
Geographical Extent (Very Important)
- মোট সাইট ≈ 1400
- আয়তন ≈ 12.5 লক্ষ sq. km
- East–West ≈ 1600 km | North–South ≈ 1400 km
- Only 40 settlement Indus নদীর ধারায়, 80% Saraswati basin-এ।
Extremes:
- North: Manda (J&K)
- South: Daimabad (Maharashtra)
- East: Alamgirpur (UP)
- West: Sutkagendor (Baluchistan)
Remember trick: M–D–A–S → Manda–Daimabad–Alamgirpur–Sutkagendor
Important Sites (India)
Kalibangan (Rajasthan)
- Earliest ploughed field, irrigation।
- No drainage system (exception)।
- Fire altars; earthquake evidence।
- Decorative bricks only here।
- Pre + Mature দুই ধাপই।
Lothal (Gujarat)
- World’s earliest dockyard।
- Rice remains, double burial, Mesopotamian seal।
- Bead factory; terracotta ship model।
- Lower town walled।
Dholavira (Kutch)
- 5th largest; only 3-part town।
- Water reservoir, dams, sandstone use।
- Sign-board script (large letters)।
- Rock-cut architecture; stadium।
Surkotada (Gujarat)
- Horse bones পাওয়া গেছে।
- Stone-covered grave।
Rangpur (Gujarat)
- Rice evidence; pre & mature phase।
- Yellow–grey pottery।
Ropar (Punjab)
- Dog buried with humans।
- Stone–soil houses।
Banawali (Haryana)
- Radial streets (unique)।
- Barley cultivation; all three phases।
Rakhigarhi (Haryana)
- Largest IVC site (350 ha)।
- Dancing-girl–type female figure।
- All three phases present।
Balu (Haryana)
- Earliest garlic; rice remains।
Daimabad (Maharashtra)
- Southernmost।
- Bronze chariot, buffalo।
- Late Harappan।
Manda (J&K)
- Northernmost।
- Wood procurement centre।
Alamgirpur (UP)
- Easternmost।
- Cloth impression on trough।
Important Sites (Pakistan)
Harappa (Punjab)
- First excavated (Dayaram Sahni)।
- Two rows of granaries; coffin burial।
- Trade with Mesopotamia।
Mohenjodaro (Sindh)
- 2nd largest।
- Great Bath, Great Granary।
- Priest King, Dancing Girl।
- Assembly hall, College of Priests।
- Flood/invasion theory evidence; woven cotton।
Chanhudaro (Sindh)
- No citadel (unique)।
- Bead–bangle factory; inkpot; lipstick use।
- Jhangar–Jhukar cultures।
Kot-Diji
- Pre-Harappan; mud-brick houses।
- Destroyed by force।
Amri
- Transitional phase; fire altars।
- Rhinoceros remains।
Sutkagendor
- Westernmost; old port।
- Trade with Babylon।
Balakot
- Earliest furnace; seaport।
Sites in Afghanistan
Shortugai (Takhar)
- IVC trading colony।
- Lapis lazuli mines, camel trade।
- Ploughed field; canal irrigation।
Town Planning (IVC’s Signature)
- Highly urban & scientific layout।
- City = Citadel (west, raised) + Lower town।
- Chessboard/grid pattern; roads at right angles।
- Main road 10 m wide; lamp posts present।
- Standard brick ratio 1:2:4।
- Covered drains; soak pits; gypsum-lime plaster।
- 2–3 storeyed houses; central courtyard।
- Houses faced inwards, not to street।
- Private wells, tiled bathrooms।
Remember: Brick, Drain, Grid → hallmark of Harappa
Society
- Mostly urban middle class।
- Three groups: rulers – rich merchants – labourers।
- Famous for: potter’s wheel, terracotta, beads, jewellery।
- Red–black painted pottery।
- Allahdino – gold & silver ornaments।
- More female figurines than male।
Economy & Trade
- External trade with Mesopotamia, Persia।
- Mesopotamia called India = Meluhha।
- Trade intermediaries: Dilmun (Bahrain), Makan (Oman), Meluhha।
- Seals = steatite; square; ownership mark।
- Bullock carts; dockyard at Lothal।
- Weights = cubical; binary + decimal system।
- Measures of length = foot & cubit।
Imports
- Gold (Afghanistan/Iran/Kolar), tin, jade, steatite, bitumen, lead।
Exports
- Cotton, grains, beads, pottery, ivory, copper।
Agriculture
- Cotton first found at Mehrgarh (world’s earliest)।
- Wheat–barley winter crop; rice–millets summer crop।
- Double cropping started।
- Wooden plough used।
- Domesticated: cattle, bull, goat, sheep, camel, dog, pig।
- Didn’t use horses (some late evidence only)।
- Knew elephant & rhinoceros।
Mining
- Copper: Khetri, Baluchistan
- Lapis lazuli: Shortugai
- Turquoise: Khorasan
- Bitumen: Baluchistan
- Iron unknown।
Religion
- No temples → secular character।
- Worshipped:
- Mother goddess
- Proto-Shiva / Pashupati
- Linga–yoni (fertility cult)
- Pipal tree, humped bull
- Birds (dove/pigeon)
- Unicorn motif (probably rhino)
- North–South burial; grave goods included food, pottery, tools।
Decline — Key Theories (Modern View)
- Slow decline → deurbanisation।
- People moved eastward।
- Main causes (multi-factor):
- River course change
- Drying of Ghaggar
- Low rainfall & climatic aridity
- Floods (some cities)
- Earthquakes
- Ecological imbalance
- Agricultural shift due to weak monsoon
- Aryan invasion theory rejected।
- Large granaries collapsed → household-level storage system evolved।
Ready Revision “Ultra-Short” Sheet
- IVC = Bronze + Proto-history
- Phases: Pre–Harappan → Mature → Late
- Largest site: Rakhigarhi | 2nd: Mohenjodaro
- Five keywords: Brick–Drain–Grid–Seal–Beads
- Dockyard: Lothal | Ploughed field: Kalibangan
- Water management: Dholavira
- Horse: Surkotada
- Gold jewellery: Allahdino
- Easternmost: Alamgirpur | Westernmost: Sutkagendor
- Northernmost: Manda | Southernmost: Daimabad
- Religion: Mother goddess + Pashupati + fertility cult
- Trade name in Mesopotamia: Meluhha
- Granaries: Harappa & Mohenjodaro
- Pottery: Red ware + black design
