Indus River Valley Civilization City life and Civilization

Indus River Valley Civilization City life and Civilization: Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro 3, 300 -1, 700 BCE

Ancient River Valley Civilizations

Comparative Timeline

Indus River Valley • Harappan culture existed along the Indus River in what is now Pakistan. • The cities of Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro were important centers of the Indus valley civilization. • The cities were part of larger socioeconomic networks and interacted with other peoples and cultures.

Neighboring Settlements Across Civilizations: Trading Networks & Routes

Why would living near the Indus River make these settlements possible? Think Egypt… Think Mesopotamia…

Regional Trade

Imports and Exports • Imports: gemstones, gold, silver, textiles • Exports: – Agriculture: peas, sesame seeds, dates, & grains – Raw Materials: wood, cotton, livestock, copper, ivory, & shells – Finished goods: beads, ornaments, tools, & pottery • Methods: river boats, animal-pulled carts

Terraced Fields for Agriculture

Jewelry for Export

More Jewelry!

Pottery for Export

Harappan Socioeconoimc Integration • By 2500 BCE, small communities became cities (integration). • In total, over 1, 052 cities and settlements have been found. • Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were the largest cities.

Indus Valley Integration

(Review!) Characteristics of Civilization • Cities (dense populations) • Centralized Government (Leaders and laws) • Job specialization • Social Classes • Organized religion • Art/architecture (how did they use art? ) • Writing System • Public Works (streets, defense & irrigation systems)

Based on what you have learned so far…. . Was the ancient Indus River Valley a true “Civilization”? Discuss & Explain!

Problems with Evaluating the IRV: • We do NOT have important information: – Their language remains undeciphered • No tax records or literature • No record of religious beliefs and rituals – No names of kings, grand palaces, large temples, or ornate tombs – No warrior class or monuments to military conquests • Little evidence of divided social classes

Indus Writing • The origins of Indus writing can now be traced to c. 3, 300 -2, 800 BCE at Harappa. • Some inscriptions were made on the bottom of pottery. • This inscription appears to be three plant symbols.

Ancient Indus: Why no Translation?

BUT! The IRV had major cities with sophisticated infrastructure

Mohenjo-Daro & Harappa • The cities had: – secure walls, – good plumbing, – indoor plumbing, sewers, and drainage systems – public squares and gathering places. • Mohenjo-Daro & Harappa had more than 35, 000 residents. • The cities serviced more than 1, 000 other towns and villages in the region.

Mohenjo-Daro Note the high walls and use of mud bricks.

The Great Bath What Purpose did it serve? 12 meters high, 7 meters wide, 2. 4 meters deep

The Great Bath • The "great bath" is the earliest public water tank. • Two staircases lead down into the tank from the north and south. • At the foot of the stairs is a small ledge with a brick edging that extends the entire width of the pool. • Archaeologists believe it was for ritualistic services.

Streets & Alleyways • At Mohenjo. Daro streets and alleyways led to private neighborhoods.

An Artist’s Conception of Harappa

Wells • Private wells were rebuilt over many generations for large households and neighborhoods. • This well stands like a chimney because the surrounding earth has been removed by excavation.

Bathing Areas • Public bathing areas may also have been used for washing clothes as is common in many traditional cities in Pakistan and India today.

Granary: What was it for? • This "granary" in Harappa is a brick structure that was built on a massive foundation over 45 meters north-south and 45 meters east-west.

Harappan Workshops • Large quantities of manufacturing debris have been found in this area indicating the presence of workshops for making beads, ornaments, pottery, & tools.

Harappa’s Layout

Choose a prompt & write! 1. The Indus River Valley amounts to a true civilization because…. OR 2. The Indus River Valley does NOT amount to a true civilization because… Prepare a well developed paragraph with a completed topic sentence AND evidence.