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(IGP) GS Paper 1 - History of India & Indian National Movement - "The Harappan Civilization"

Integrated Guidance Programme of General Studies for IAS (Pre) - 2013

Origin lies in various indigenous Pre-Harappan cultures
Indus Civilisation was culmination of a long series of cultural evolution.
Emerged out of the farming communities of Sind and Baluchistan, Haryana Oujarat and Rajasthan.
Continuous cultural evolution from 6000 BC onwards in North West India which finally culminated in the rise of Indus Civilisation

Archaeological excavation & research have revealed phases of cultural development bursting up in the emergence of a full-fledged civilization at Kalibangan,
Banavali and Rakhigarhi.
Began in Baluchistan & Sind are then extended into the plains.
These phases are Pre-Harappan, Early Harappan, Mature Harappan and Late Harappan
Extent of Harrappa:- From in North Manda (J & K) to 1600 k.m Daimabad (Maharastra.) in East Alamgirpur (U.P.) to 1100 K.m Sutkangedor (Bluchistan). Total Area was 12,99,600 Sq. k.m.
These phases of cultural evolution are represented by Mehargarh, Amri, Kalibangan and Lothal respectively

A great uniformity in town planning, the fundamental lay-out of prominent urban settlements exhibits apparent similarities.
Based on ‘Grid Pattern’: streets and lanes cutting across one another at right angles dividing the city into a number of rectangular blocks. Main streets ran from north to south and were as wide as 30 feet.Streets and lanses were not paved.
Use of standardized burnt bricks on massive scale in almost all types of constructions (an extraordinary feature of the contemporary civilizations), circular stones were used at Dholavira.

Pottery

Mainly two types Plain pottery and Red and Black Pottery with decoration, the majority being the former.
Widespread use of potter’s wheel made up of wood, use of firing technique, use of kiln.
Variety of Pleasing Design — Horizontal strips, Check, Chess-Board Pattern, Interesecting Circles (Pattern exclusively found), Leaves & Petals, Natural
Motif — Birds, Fish, Animals, Plants, Human Figure — Rare (A Man & A Child found from Harappa), Triangles.
Pottery had plain bases. Few ring bases have been found.
Mainly famous colour of pot was pink. General design was on the red base horizontally black line on pots.

Seals

Seals are the greatest artistic creation of the Harappan people — cutting &polishing craftmanship is excellent.
No of seals discovered is approx. 2000
Made of steatite (Soft stone), Sometimes of Copper, Shell, Agate, Ivory, Faience, Terracotta.
Size— 4 inch to 2Y2 inch.
Shape — Square, Rectangular, Button, Cubical, Cylinder, Round
Two main types:- Square — carved animal & inscription, small boss at the back. Rectangular— inscription only, hold on the back to take a cord.

Lost-Wax technique, used for making bronze images.
English Bond method-Bonding system for bricks.
Flemish Bond method-used for making staircases.
Kiln Bricks — Evidence of Kiln has been found at Rakhigarhi
Water Harvesting System—Dholaveera
For small measurement binary system and for big measurement decimal system were used in Harappa.

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A good number of toys — Clay Cart, Rattles, Bulls with mobile heads, Monkey with movable arms, Dices, Chessboard.
Hunting, Fishing, Cock-Fighting

Standard weights and measures, uniformity and accuracy of denominations.
Weights were made of a variety of material — state, jasper, chert, alabaster, limestone and quartzile, but main1 polished chert.
For larger weights decimal system was used and for smaller ones binary system was followed.
The unit weight had the calculated value of 0.8 750 gms, the largest weights was 10970 gms.

Copper, Silver, Gold, Jade, Lapis Lazulli, Lead. Tin, Ingot (Lead+Silver), Electrum (Silver & Gold)

Yet not deciphered, pictographic or ideographic approximately 450 signs have been listed, written from right from left and left to in alternate lines style known as Boustrophedan, inscriptions are short.

Evidences
Sumerian text make a mention of Meluha which is identified with Indus Civilization and two intermediate trading stations Dilmun (Bahrain) and Makan (Makaran Coast).
Appearance of Indus seals in the Mesopotamian cities of Ur, Kish,Susa, Tell Asmar, Lagash.
Cylindrical seals of Mesopotamian type have been found in Indus valley (Mohanjodaro).
“Persian Gulf Seals” of intermediate trading stations have been discovered from Indus region (Lothal).
Discovery of”Reserved slip ware” of Mesopotamian type from Harappa & Lothal.
Internal Trade: With Saurashtra, Maharastra, South India, Rajasthan, ports of western UP.
Ports: Port was found in Lothal. This is the first manmade port in the world.
Item of Imports: Gold, Silver, Copper, Tin, Lapis Lazuli,-Amethyst, Agate, Jade, Shells.
Items of Exports
Agricultural products Wheat, Barley, Peas, Oil Seeds
Finished Products Cotton goods, Pottery1 Beads, Shells, Terrocotta Products, Ivory Products