90 Facts About Indus Valley Civilization

list of 90 facts about the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), covering its cities, culture, architecture, economy, religion, technology, and decline:

🌆 Cities and Urban Planning

1. The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) was one of the world’s earliest urban civilizations.
2. It flourished around 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.
3. The main cities were Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Lothal, and Kalibangan.
4. It was located in present-day Pakistan and northwest India.
5. The cities were well-planned with grid patterns.
6. Roads were wide and intersected at right angles.
7. Cities were divided into Citadel (upper town) and Lower Town.
8. Buildings were made from burnt bricks.
9. Drainage systems were highly advanced.
10. Houses had private wells and bathrooms.
11. Granaries were found in several cities.
12. Public baths, such as the Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro, were prominent.
13. There were public wells in almost every neighborhood.
14. Dockyards were found at Lothal.
15. Streets had covered drains underneath.
16. Lamp posts and sewage covers have been excavated.
17. Some buildings had two stories.
18. Kilns for baking bricks were located outside the city walls.

🛠️ Technology and Crafts

19. The IVC used standardized weights and measures.
20. They had knowledge of metallurgy—copper, bronze, lead, and tin.
21. Pottery was often wheel-made.
22. Artisans made items from terracotta, shell, stone, and metal.
23. They developed advanced techniques in bead-making.
24. The lost-wax technique was used to make bronze sculptures.
25. Faience (a glazed ceramic) was widely used.
26. Tools included chisels, saws, needles, and fish hooks.
27. They made toys like carts and animals from terracotta.
28. Cotton was cultivated and used to make cloth.
29. Evidence of silk has also been found at Harappa.
30. Surgical instruments like needles and knives have been discovered.

💬 Language and Script

31. The Indus script is still undeciphered.
32. Over 400 symbols have been identified.
33. Writing was found mostly on seals and pottery.
34. The script was possibly written right to left.
35. It is thought to be logographic or syllabic.

🏺 Religion and Beliefs

36. No clear evidence of temples has been found.
37. They possibly worshipped nature—trees, animals, rivers.
38. The “Proto-Shiva” figure on a seal may represent early Shaivism.
39. Seals depicting a mother goddess suggest fertility worship.
40. The unicorn motif appears on many seals.
41. They buried the dead with pottery and ornaments.
42. Both cremation and burial were practiced.
43. Some sites show megalithic burial structures.
44. Sacred animals may have included bulls, elephants, and snakes.
45. The Great Bath might have had a ritualistic function.

🧬 Society and Culture

46. Society may have been egalitarian—no clear evidence of kings or ruling class.
47. Women wore ornaments made of gold, silver, and terracotta.
48. Men likely wore robes and had beards.
49. Hairstyles and grooming tools (combs, mirrors) have been found.
50. They enjoyed music and dance, inferred from figurines.
51. Dice and board games were played.
52. Figurines of animals, dancers, and carts were popular.
53. Schools or learning centers have not been found.
54. They possibly had matriarchal elements, given the prominence of mother goddess imagery.

📈 Economy and Trade

55. The economy was based on agriculture, trade, and crafts.
56. Major crops included wheat, barley, cotton, and millets.
57. They reared cattle, sheep, goats, and buffaloes.
58. Trade was both internal and external.
59. Lothal had a dockyard for maritime trade.
60. Evidence of trade with Mesopotamia, Persia, and the Arabian Gulf.
61. Seals with Mesopotamian script have been found.
62. Items like lapis lazuli, shells, carnelian, and copper were traded.
63. The standardized system of weights aided trade.
64. They had a barter system—no coins were used.

🐘 Animals and Environment

65. Animals depicted in art include elephants, rhinos, tigers, and humped bulls.
66. The domesticated cat appears in some artifacts.
67. There is no evidence of horses, suggesting they arrived later.
68. The region had a rich flora and fauna.
69. Some sites show signs of deforestation and environmental degradation.

🏚️ Decline and Disappearance

70. The decline started around 1900 BCE.
71. Causes may include climate change, drought, or river shifts.
72. Some suggest invasion or migration of Indo-Aryans.
73. Cities show signs of depopulation.
74. Urban planning quality deteriorated in the later phase.
75. The civilization did not vanish completely—its people may have migrated east.

🧭 Discovery and Excavation

76. Discovered in the 1920s by archaeologists like Daya Ram Sahni and R.D. Banerjee.
77. The term “Harappan Civilization” comes from Harappa, the first site found.
78. Major excavations were conducted at Mohenjo-daro, meaning “Mound of the Dead.”
79. Over 1,400 sites related to the IVC have been found.
80. Sites range from Afghanistan to Uttar Pradesh.
81. Dholavira, in Gujarat, is one of the largest and best-preserved sites.
82. Lothal is known for its dockyard and bead factory.
83. Kalibangan had evidence of ploughed fields.
84. Rakhigarhi, in Haryana, is one of the largest IVC sites.
85. Important artifacts are housed in the National Museum, Delhi, and the British Museum.

🧠 Legacy and Influence

86. The IVC contributed to the early urban culture of South Asia.
87. Many features like urban planning and drainage influenced later cultures.
88. The civilization shows early evidence of non-violent, peaceful society.
89. It proves that ancient people had scientific, aesthetic, and technical knowledge.
90. It remains a mystery, especially due to its undeciphered script.