The Indus River Valley civilizations were a diverse group of ancient people from northwestern South Asia. They developed new techniques in metallurgy, built boats, and used wheeled transport. They also had sophisticated street planning. Listed below are some interesting facts about these ancient people.
Developed new techniques in metallurgy
Metalworking was an important aspect of life for early peoples in the Indus River Valley. Many of the techniques developed by these people are still used today. These civilizations also had sophisticated urban planning and irrigation systems. They populated areas as large as 30,000 to 40,000 people. In the mid-1820s, these civilizations were first discovered by British officer-archeologists.
These civilizations made use of a variety of metals, including copper, lead, bronze, and tin. They also used metals sourced from the earth such as gold and silver. They may have developed the techniques of melting metals to produce bronze and steel. They may also have used a technique known as the Banawali stone to test for gold purity. Some parts of India still use this technique to test gold purity.
The Indus River Valley Civilization, also known as the Harappan Civilization, flourished in the Indus River Valley between modern-day Afghanistan and northwest India. Its civilization developed in three phases: Early Harappan, Mature Harappan, and Late Harappan. During the Late Harappan Phase, people of the Indus River Valley were developing new techniques in metallurgy with lead and copper.
The Indus civilization was highly organized with a highly uniform material culture, tight administration, and widespread trade within its state. While evidence of actual export of objects is scant, the sheer scale of the Sukkur site and the fact that almost identical bronze carts were found at Chanhu-daro and Harappa strongly suggests trade.
The Indus River Valley civilization was technologically advanced and may have numbered as many as five million people. It also developed new techniques in metallurgy and handicraft, including baking brick houses. They also developed elaborate water and drainage systems.
Used wheeled transport
The Indus Valley civilizations used wheeled transport to move goods around the valley. Their vehicles were probably bullock carts, which are identical to those used in South Asia today. They also used boats to move goods up and down the rivers. These waterways allowed them to develop a vast trade network with Mesopotamia.
The civilization was well-off when it came to food, grain, and protection. The region offered abundant natural resources, including fresh water, fish, timber, and precious metals. The nearby mountains provided blue lapis lazuli, which was used in jewelry and other items. The civilization also used weights and measures to trade with other cultures.
The Indus River Valley Civilization, also known as the Harappan Civilization, spanned from northeast Afghanistan to northeast Pakistan. Their writing system, called Indus script, is very little understood. The civilization’s end likely resulted from climate change. Its decline is likely related to climate change, though, as the last of the great cities of the Indus Valley fell into the shadow of Mesopotamia.
The earliest wheeled transport was probably a horse, and wheeled carts were probably used for long distance journeys. The southern part of the civilization appears to have been later than the major Indus sites. Wheeled transport is also thought to have been used by the early Indus civilization.
The Indus civilization produced a series of seals, which depict animals in processions. Some seals even show chimeric creatures. The Mohenjo-daro seal, for instance, shows a half-human-half-buffalo monster attacking a tiger. This is believed to be a reference to the Sumerian myth of Aruru, the earth goddess and fertility goddess. The seals also depict anatomically-detailed figurines made of terracotta and steatite.
Built boats
Boats were a common means of transportation among the Harappans. These flat-bottomed craft had high prows and were probably used to traverse the Indus River Valley. However, they could also use flat-bottomed canoes with sails.
The ancient civilization in the Indus river valley was centered around the Harappan culture. During their time, they constructed the world’s first tide dock. This was uncovered in 1955 in the port of Lothal. The walls of the port are continuous, dry-masonry burnt brick, with a depth of approximately three meters.
The civilization flourished in the Indus River Valley and grew large and sophisticated cities. They developed sewage systems before the Romans and engaged in long-distance trade with Mesopotamia. The civilization was eventually forced to abandon its cities by the 1800 BCE and moved to smaller towns in the Himalayan foothills.
During this time, boats were used to transport goods. The Sindhi monarch, Pushyadeva, was known to use boats to push back the Arabs who had invaded his land. The ruins of the city of Lothal, situated in the Gulf of Cambay, are believed to have been a port city in the Harappan period. The ancient city also had a bustling dock and a large market. It was an emporium of goods from neighboring towns and villages.
The Indus River Valley Civilization is often divided into three phases: Early Harappan, Mature Harappan, and Late Harappan. The Early Harappan phase lasted approximately 3300-2600 BCE. This period was centered in the area of modern day Pakistan and northern India.
Had sophisticated street planning
The Indus River Valley Civilizations had an incredibly sophisticated urban culture and street planning. They were among the oldest civilizations on earth, and their cities were highly developed and well-planned. Their cities included a highly organized grid system, well-placed public wells, and elaborate, multi-storey houses.
The Indus civilization developed great accuracy in time, mass, and length measurements. It also developed an efficient and accurate system of measures and weights. The smallest division in a scale used by the Indus civilization was 1.704 millimeters. Harappan engineers followed decimal divisions of mass and length for practical purposes.
Ancient cities in the Indus River Valley had a remarkably similar street planning system. Their city centers were heavily fortified and protected by large defensive military structures. They also had elaborate drainage systems and trash collections. Their urban planning also included the design of public baths, granaries, and streets. They had separate neighborhoods where merchants, artisans, and other groups lived.
One of the earliest records of city planning date back to the Indus River Valley civilization. This culture developed a highly sophisticated street planning system in order to support daily life. They also incorporated intricate religious rituals into their cities. For example, the temples of these civilizations had elaborately planned streets and courtyards.
Indus civilizations also had a highly developed agricultural system. Many of their cities were built around the monsoon, a weather pattern in South Asia during which the majority of the year’s rainfall falls in a four-month period. The Indus civilization also had massive reservoirs carved from solid rock. This would have supplied water during the dry season.
Lack of rulers
The lack of rulers in the Indus River Valley civilizations raises several questions. The first question is how did such a large civilization exist without rulers? The answer, according to some experts, is that there was no ruling elite. This is consistent with the lack of elite burials. The second question focuses on the question of who ruled the society. It is unclear, however, what the rulers’ role was.
Indus Valley Civilisations, like Mesopotamia and Egypt, were remarkably complex societies. However, they lack the typical features of a state, including a centralised religion and monopoly of force. This is a big problem for historians trying to understand the Indus Valley Civilisations.
The lack of rulers in the Indus Valley civilizations can be traced to two causes. The first is that these civilizations focused on everyday life and did not build monumental monuments. Another reason is that they did not invest their wealth in building or burying their dead. Another is that they tended to believe in an afterlife. Because of this, they believed that resources were more valuable when they circulated among the living.
The second reason for the lack of rulers is that these civilizations did not have a strong central government. They were governed by local leaders and religious leaders. However, despite this, there was still an elite class. Indus Valley civilizations are generally divided into three phases: the Early Harappan, Mature Harappan, and Late Harappan. The Early Harappan phase was populated by Neolithic cultures, such as the Harappans. This period of the Indus Valley civilizations lasted from 3200 BCE to 2600 BCE.
During this period, most city dwellers were traders and artisans. The Indus civilizations had limited raw material resources, but trade routes connected urban centers to the hinterlands, where they cultivated a variety of minerals, including lapis Lazuli, carnelian, steatite, copper, and gold. Moreover, the existence of many manufactured goods in the cities suggests that the rural populations exchanged raw materials for finished products.
