PLANNED CITIES ON THE INDUS

Map

Mountains Subcontinent-3 mountain ranges (Hindu Kush, Karakoram, and Himalaya) separate Indus River Valley from the rest of Asia Mountains created natural barrier and helped protect the Indus Valley from invasions

Rivers and Monsoons River-Yearly floods deposit silt, BUT the floods were very unpredictable and the river sometimes changed it course Monsoons-seasonal winds that bring heavy rains in the spring, watered crops and caused flooding

Mysterious Civilization Historians have not yet deciphered the Indus system of writing Very little is known, except from discoveries from archaeological digs

Indus River Valley Located in modern day Pakistan Area much larger than Mesopotamia or Egypt Developed trade with distant people, including the Mesopotamians Few weapons have been found, suggesting that it was a peaceful society Artifacts such as clay and wooden kids toys suggest a prosperous society

Indus Trade Routes

Planned Cities Archaeologists have found ruins of more than 100 sophisticated cities along the Indus Laid out their cities on a precise grid system Very-large scale building, walled cites, with fortified citadels Separate residential (houses) districts, uniform housing suggests that social divisions were not great Buildings were made from oven baked bricks Very sophisticated plumbing and sewage systems Suggests that Indus people had developed a strong central government

Connections to Indian culture Religious artifacts reveal links to modern Hindu (Indian religion) culture Figures show early representations of Shiva, a major Indian god Other figures relate to a mother goddess and fertility Some figures suggest the worship of cattle ALL OF THESE BECAME PART OF LATER INDIAN CULTURE

Mysterious End Neared its end around 1500 BCE What happened? THEORIES Indus River changed course and no longer fertilized fields near the cities People wore out the valley’s land from overgrazing, overfarming, overcutting A sudden catastrophe or natural disater Attack from human enemies, probably a nomadic tribe

Mohenjo-daro view of the “Citadel”

The “Great Bath”

another view of the “Great Bath”

view of a small, side street

looks like a small tower, but actually it is a neighborhood well

A bathroom on a private residence

A public well in Harappa, or perhaps an ancient laundromat...

A large drain or sewer

Harappan grain store house