The archaeological site of Harappa is located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the site of the Harappan civilisation, which is now known as the Indus Valley Civilisation. The modern village near the site takes its name from the course of the Ravi River, which once ran through Harappa and is now eight km to the north.
Indus Valley Civilization (IVC)
The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) was an advanced and sophisticated civilization that developed an impressive urban culture. It had a sophisticated urban planning system, and municipal administrations were highly efficient. They prioritized cleanliness and hygiene. Their major cities had perfect grid patterns, and their houses were well-protected against odours and noise.
Many have speculated about the origin of this civilization. Some believe that the Indus people were driven by Indo-Aryan invasions in the 1500s B.C.E., but this theory is disputed by the World History Encyclopedia. It is more likely that these people were influenced by the Aryan language and culture.
The Indus civilization’s settlements extended from the Indus River in the west and east to the Iranian border in the north. Settlements at this time included the major urban centers of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro. Other cities included Rakhigarhi and Dholavira. It is estimated that the Indus civilization had a population of more than five million people. The Indus Valley Civilization may have been wiped out by a combination of factors, but some scholars believe that climatic changes and the spread of monsoons and droughts were factors in the decline of the civilization.
The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) flourished in a region of western Asia that is now in Pakistan and India. Indus Valley Civilization is considered one of the world’s three great early civilizations. This civilization is credited with creating a writing system and supporting an advanced culture. It is also the source of Hinduism.
Settlement systems
The early inhabitants of Harappa lived in houses made of brick, sometimes with an upper deck. The houses were built in the lower town and connected to the main streets by side streets. Openings in the main streets were used for sewage. Doors and windows had wooden frames. The lower town also contained workshops for craftspeople such as potters, dyers, and wheelwrights. The town was divided into different districts for different types of workers.
Harappa was located near the upper Indus River. Its natural geography and the availability of raw materials encouraged the early people to settle along the river. The favorable climate and alluvial soil also helped people to build homes and settlements. These urban centers were considered gateway cities that served as hubs for trade with the larger region.
The first phase of settlement in Harappa ended around 6000 BC. There are many theories about the reasons for this decline. One theory is that the population dispersed from a highly concentrated settlement to dispersed rural settlement. The other theory is that the population migrated from the west to the east.
The settlements in Harappa are essentially a combination of underground and elevated ground settlements. They are surrounded by an elaborate perimeter wall built of mud brick and baked bricks. The southern wall contains a major gateway located in the center of a large curve. The wall is nine to eleven meters wide. The gate is 2.8 meters wide.
Language
The Harappa language was known in the ancient world before the spread of the Sanskrit language. The language was written in an ancient script called the Harappa Script. This ancient script was hieroglyphic in nature, similar to the Egyptian hieroglyphs. It was used by the Meluhha language speakers for data archives. These inscriptions also served as proofs of wealth creation and also helped in archeometallurgy.
The ancient Harappa language has not been deciphered in its entirety. This is in large part due to the lack of deciphering the script, which has remained undeciphered for more than a century. However, it is possible to find the language’s script on archaeological sites in the Persian Gulf, where nearly two thousand ancient inscriptions were found.
The use of tablets and seals in the Harappa region suggests that it was used in trade transactions with neighbouring civilizations. This may also be related to the use of Harappa language in other contexts. It is difficult to determine which civilizations were involved in these trade transactions without considering the Harappa language.
The earliest evidence of the Harappan language dates back to three thousand and seven hundred BCE. Indus Script signs were found in the ancient sites of Kot Diji and Ravi. The Indus Script reached its full development in the later Harappan and Urban periods, dating to 2600-1900 BCE. Inscriptions from the Harappan and Indus Script were discovered on over 60 archaeological sites. Most are short and contain as few as 26 signs.
Trade
The Harappa trade network connected many ancient civilizations in South Asia and the Middle East. It connected river valleys and exchanged surplus agriculture, metals, and textiles. The trade was eventually discontinued due to weather and invasion. The Egyptians, a great trading nation, predominated over the Mediterranean basin.
The trade network showed that Harappa was a commercial center and that it was also an influential partner with other state-level nations. In addition, the city was very organized and used seals, weights, and routes for trading. The Harappa trade network may have also facilitated the trading of artisanal items and services.
Although Harappan trade networks were not frequent, they were still important. Some evidence suggests that these societies maintained trade networks with South Asia and the Persian Gulf. These networks brought chert and shell from faraway resource areas. The use of seals also played a vital role in administration. The seals were used to convey information and also served as badges of office.
Harappa trade also included import and export of raw materials. The earliest sheltered harbor for Harappan trade was Lothal, which is located at the head of the Gulf of Cambay. Located in the estuary of the Sabarmati and Bhogawa rivers, Lothal residents traded agricultural goods and imported raw materials. Other Harappan trading stations were located further south, at Megham and Bhagatrav on the Narmada and Kim rivers.
Religion
One aspect of Harappa’s religion is its use of images of animals to represent the gods. They often used lions and tigers as symbols of the gods. Another is the use of a bull or tiger in a sacred marriage. Sacred marriages were also considered important for military and fertility purposes. Other depictions of animals in Harappan art depict a man, a water buffalo, and a fish. There are also figurines depicting various asanas and yogic postures.
The Harappan religion also features the worship of the mother goddess. Several female terracotta figurines have been excavated from the ruins. They are believed to be the statues of the mother goddess. The majority of the figurines depict the goddess wearing a saree, a necklace, or a waistband.
Harappa’s religion was closely tied to its culture. The Harappans were polytheistic, worshipping many male and female deities. They may have prayed to the gods to give them good harvests or protection from floods. While there is no evidence of a temple, there are many objects that were offered to the gods to be taken to the afterlife. The remains of many such artifacts have made their way into modern-day India.
Harappa’s religion had many characteristics similar to that of later Hinduism. Harappans also worshipped animals. They worshiped cows and goats, as well as buffalo and elephants. This practice, which later evolved into the Hindu concept of vahanas.
Urbanization
The Harappan civilization is one of the oldest civilisations in India. Its architecture shows signs of planning and urbanization. The settlement had walls built for trade control, tax collection, and protection from wild animals. The settlement also had a highly developed sanitation system. Although there were no windows, a system of jaalis provided ventilation. Commodes were pots, and streets were elevated above the residences.
The city was planned to meet the needs of its inhabitants. Its inhabitants were engaged in economic activities and elaborate craft specialization. This was the first urbanization in India. The urbanization of Harappa also facilitated communication between the different regions of Asia. However, this type of urbanization was accompanied by a series of environmental problems.
By 2500 BCE, the Harappan Civilization became the eastern anchor of a network of routes linking the Gulf to the Iranian Plateau. Its urbanization was an important aspect of the culture, as it brought together people of diverse ethnic groups into a cohesive, sociocultural whole. In addition, it supported the development of writing and significant distance exchange.
Indus Civilization was not an isolated phenomenon; there were other cities in the Indus Valley that were also heavily urbanized. Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan, and Dholavira were examples of these cities. These cities were home to tens of thousands of people. Their towns reflected the lifestyles of a ruling class. In addition to this, there may have been an artifact-based writing system in use.
