16 The Indus Valley Civilizations
The Emergence of the Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization (c. 2800 BCE – 1800 BCE) flourished in the fertile valley of the Indus River, which flows from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. The region’s rich soil and favorable climate supported population growth and the development of a sophisticated urban civilization. Evidence suggests that people in the region domesticated plants and animals around 7000 BCE, adopting techniques from the Near East or developing them independently. By 5000 BCE, they were in contact with Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations. The Indus Valley people cultivated wheat, barley, bananas, and cotton, and raised cattle and sheep.
Urbanization and City-States in the Indus Valley Civilization
Around 2800 BCE, the Indus Valley Civilization entered a new phase of growth, marked by the emergence of numerous urban centers. The largest cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, were joined by other major urban centers like Dholavira, Ganeriwala, and Rakhigarhi, as well as over 1,000 smaller cities and towns scattered across the valley. By 2000 BCE, this civilization had reached its peak, with a vast network of urban centers, each with its own unique character, but sharing a common cultural and architectural heritage. These cities may have functioned as independent city-states or been part of a larger, more complex political system.
Link to Learning
There is much to explore at the sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Take a look at these walkthrough slideshows on Harappa (https://openstax.org/l/77harappa) and Mohenjo-Daro (https://openstax.org/l/ 77mohenjo-daro) to better understand how these cities were organized and what they look like today.
City Structure and Architecture
The cities of the Indus Valley Civilization were divided into two sections: a lower residential area and an upper citadel. The citadel featured monumental ceremonial centers, such as the large hall supported by mud-brick pilasters at Mohenjo-Daro, as well as public baths, like the large tank at Mohenjo-Daro, and granaries for grain storage. Multistory residences built around open courtyards suggest that ritual specialists or priests lived and performed religious functions in the citadels. In contrast, the residential quarters were characterized by houses with 4-6 rooms built around a central courtyard, wells providing running water to bathrooms, and larger homes with up to 30 rooms and devices attached to roofs to pump wind for cooling.
The Ancient Indus Valley Civilization was a complex society with a well-organized economy and social structure. The majority of the population, approximately 80%, were farmers who cultivated crops such as wheat, barley, and cotton. They lived in rural areas and relied on the fertile soil and sophisticated irrigation systems to sustain their agriculture. In contrast, the cities were hubs of economic activity, home to artisans, merchants, and the ruling elite. Artisans specialized in cra