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Features of Indus Valley Civilization
Features of Indus Valley Civilization
1. This civilization is extended far beyond the Indus Valley. The main towns of Indus valley
civilization were Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Kalibangan, Lothal.
2. The significant features of Indus Valley civilization are personal cleanliness, town planning,
construction of burnt-brick houses, ceramics, casting, forging of metals, manufacturing of
cotton and woolen textiles.
3. Mohenjo-Daro people had finest bath facilities, drainage system, and knowledge of personal
hygiene.
4. They were equally conscious of plant medicine since there was occasional warfare.
5. The town planning and other characteristics indicate that a homogeneous indigenous culture
developed.
6. The portrayal of a three-faced figure surrounded by various animals has been considered as
Shiva in the form of Pasupati or Brahma, the originator of Brahmi School of learning.
7. The seal has been available in the stupa area that is generally believed as college
area. Computer study of the available seals has been started in different centers.
8. The naksatras are of Harappan origin and these are related to later Dravidian names.
9. Application of decimal scale in linear measure is another very important achievement of the
Harappans.
10. They had perhaps a fairly good idea of lunar astronomy, as envisaged from some of the
seals since they were very much attached to navigation and fire worship as found in Kalibangan.
11. The rectangular bath at each of the Harappan sites was considered a holy place.
12. The Harappan people could prepare painted potteries of burnt clay, glazed potteries
faience, terracotta, etc. The glazing of potteries is believed to be of Indian origin.
13. The cities were supported by both trade and agriculture. The foundations of well-planned
shipyards at Kalibangan and Lothal and granaries at all these main Harappan sites indicate how
important they were in the economy of that time.
14. Certain medicated and contemplative postures of the people, available among terracotta
figurines suggest that they also developed the science of physical and mental discipline to a
high degree.
The social and economic life of the people of Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan
Civilization) was systematic and organised.
The Indus valley population consisted of Australoid, Mediterranean, Mongoloid and Alpine
races. The cosmopolitan character of the population proves that the Indus valley was the
meeting place of the people of various races.
Agriculture appears to be the main occupation of the Indus people. The discovery of a granary
at Harappa lends support to this.
Many spindles were discovered at the Harappan sites. This proves the use of cotton for weaving
social cloths. Probably wool was also used. The garments might have been sewn.
Both men and women used two pieces of cloth. The men folk wore some lower garment like
dhoti and upper garment like shawl. The upper garment wrapped the left shoulder.
Female attire was the same as that of men. Arts and crafts and trade formed one of the main
occupations of the people.
The potter, the mason, the metal worker had high demand. The cotton and woolen dresses
show the existence of cotton and woolen industries. Goldsmiths and silversmiths made
ornaments.
Domestic implements like axe, knife, needles, saws etc. were made of bronze or copper. Copper
supply was limited as it had to be imported from outside. So copper had to be discretely used
for making necessary implements and weapons like axe, lance, and dagger. There is lack of
defensive weapons like sword. Chairs and tools were used for decorating rooms and for sitting
comfortably.
The domestic articles used by the Indus people and the comfortable houses in which they lived
convey the prosperity of the Indus people. It was a rich bourgeois civilization. Rich people used
gold instruments studded with jewels. The excellence in art and craft is proved by fine
ornaments, stone and copper implements and the potters. Weaving was a principal occupation
of the people. Apart from trade and industry, agriculture was the chief occupation of the Indus
people. The Indus people used various types of weights and measures. A strict control was
exercised to maintain proper standard of weight. The decimal system was also known to them.
The humped bull, buffalo, ship etc. and the granary indicate the existence of a prosperous
agricultural community. Some scholars believe that there was a prosperous and powerful ruling
class in the Indus cities who imposed their domination on the rest. All men of the cities and the
nearby areas did not enjoy social and economic equality. Those who lived in the upper portion
of the cities near the forts formed a ruling class. The existence of forts has led Prof. Wheeler to
surmise that the ruling class dominated over the workers and peasants from these forts. As
copper was scarce, common men could hardly afford to possess copper weapons. The ruling
class had a monopoly of the copper weapons by which they terrified the people and exploited
the resources produced by them by fanning or by craft. The existence of two roomed
tenements has led Sir Mortimer Wheeler to guess that they were perhaps workers’ quarters.
In respect of the social life of the Indus people, it is suggested by scholars that there was strong
family organizations among them. The craftsmen taught their skill in crafting to their children.
The toys were used by children of the family. The large number of seals engraved with letters
conveys the idea that there was good percentage of literacy among the Indus people. The
sanitary system, the drainage system also speaks of their cleanliness and public hygiene. The
seals, the terracotta figurines, the images of dancing girls prove the artistic taste of the Indus
men.
The prevalence of the worship of the Mother Goddess (Sakti) has been suggested. The worship
of Siva is suggested by the discovery of figure of a deity with three faces, with horned head-
dress, seating cross-legged in a Yogic posture, surrounded by animals like buffalo, rhinoceros,
deer, tiger, etc. The figure has been identified by Prof. Marshall with that of Siva (Shiva);
Trimukha (three faced), Pasupati (lord of animals), Mahayogin. Two more figures representing
Siva(Shiva) have been unearthed also. In these figures Siva seats in a Yogic posture and plants
or flowers emerge from his head. Shiva has infinite and limitless powers. Lord Shiva blesses his
devotees in every-way. The worship of Shiva Linga was prevalent.
Urban Cities: The Indus civilization flourished around cities. The ruins of the cities, so far
unearthed, show remarkable town planning, and excellent system of drainage and sanitation of
the Indus Valley Civilization. The city was the heart of the civilization. The life in the Indus cities
gives the impression of “a democratic bourgeois economy” like that of ancient Crete.
Large cities divided into two parts: Both at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro and also at
Kalibangan, the city was divided into two main parts. The higher and upper portion of the city
was protected by a construction which looks like a fort. The ruling class of the towns perhaps
lived in the protected area. The other part of the towns was lower in height than the former
and common men lived in this area. The lower area of the towns generally spread over one
square mile.
Streets
The main streets of Indus Valley ran from north to south and east to west intersecting one
another at right angles. The streets were broad varying from 9 feet to 34 feet. They ran straight
to a mile. They were suitable for wheeled traffic. Lanes were joined with the streets. Each lane
had a public welt. Street lamps were provided for welfare of public.
dwelling houses,
larger buildings,
Public baths.
Smaller houses had two rooms, while larger houses had many rooms. There were courtyards
attached to big buildings. There was little artistic touch in the architectural design of the
buildings belonging either to the rich or the poor. They were plain, utilitarian and comfortable
to live. Some of the buildings were probably multi-storied.
Most of the houses had baths, wells and covered drains connected with street drains. Ordinary
buildings had little ventilation arrangements, as doors and windows were rarely fixed in the
outer walls. Doors of entrance were fixed not on the front wall but on the side walls. One could
enter a house by the door facing the side lanes of the house. The doors were made of wood.
Large buildings had spacious doors.
Building Materials
There was no stone built house in the Indus cities. Most of the houses were built of burnt
bricks. But unburnt sun-dried bricks were also used. That portion of the buildings where
contamination with water was possible, burnt bricks were used. For other parts sun-dried bricks
were used. Most of the bricks were of equal size. The staircases of big buildings were solid; the
roofs were flat and were made of wood.
Drainage System
The elaborate drainage system was a remarkable feature of the civilization. According to D. D.
Kosambi, the drainage plans of the Indus cities definitely establish the separate identity or
independent character of the Indus civilization. No ancient civilization before the Roman
civilization had such an advanced drainage and sanitation system. Each house had horizontal
and vertical drains. There were underground drains for the streets. These drains were covered
by stone slabs. The soak pits were made of bricks. The house drains were connected with road
drains.
There is the ruin of a great granary at Harappa measuring 169 fit x 135 fit. Attached to the
granary were two roomed tenements with a common courtyard. These tenements housed the
workers or the slaves who thrashed the corn to be preserved in the granary.
The most striking feature of this Harappan civilization (Indus Valley Civilization) is that the Indus
Valley people had constructed their drainage system on very scientific lines.
The drainage system of Mohen-jo-daro is so elaborate that “the like of which has not yet been
found anywhere in the world in any other city of the same antiquity.”
House drains emptied themselves into the main drains which ran under the main streets and
below many lanes. The Harappan people well knew that such drains were not to be left open.
The drainage system and drains were covered with bricks or stones and were provided with
inspection traps and main holes at regular intervals for inspection. Every care was taken that
the house-wives did not throw refuse or dirt in the drains. Every house had its own soak-pit
which collected all the sediments and allowed only the water to flow into the street drain. The
elaborate drainage system of the Harappan people shows that they had developed a high sense
of health and sanitation.