2. Indus Valley CivilizationIndus Valley Civilization
The Indus River Valley civilization first appeared in
2,500 B.C.
It was located in the western part of Sub-continent The
largest settlements were two cities:
“Harappa” and “Mohenjo Daro”.
4. Indus or Harappan CivilizationIndus or Harappan Civilization
• Each of these cities had around 35,000 people and
each was planned carefully.
• The cities had a grid of streets and were divided into
walled neighborhoods.
• Some houses were as high as three stories.
• Buildings were constructed of mud bricks.
5. Well planned CityWell planned City
• Mohenjo-Daro was built on a plateau to deal with
unpredictable river flooding
11. Lack of SourcesLack of Sources• literate culture
o we cannot read the writing
o writing on bricks and seals
o did not use paper or clay tablets
12. Farming and TradeFarming and Trade
• Most Indus Valley people were farmers
• First to cultivate cotton and weave into cloth
• Area close to Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf so easily
reach Sumer. Contact caused system of writing to be
born
• Traded cotton, grain, copper, pearls, and ivory
13. Trade with lower Mesopotamia andTrade with lower Mesopotamia and
EgyptEgypt
14. Why did they collapse/declineWhy did they collapse/decline
• The Indus Valley civilization collapsed
• around 1500 B.C. No one knows the reason, but there
are five possibilities.
• The Indus River may have changed its course,
• Climate shift: the monsoon patterns
• flooding
• destruction of the forests
• migrations of new peoples: the Aryans