#Harappa

[whencyclopedia]

A Gallery of the Indus Valley Civilization

The Indus Valley Civilization (c. 7000-c. 600 BCE) is among the oldest in the world but, as it was only “discovered” in 1829 – after ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian sites had already been excavated – many of the “firsts” of civilization were attributed to these cultures while, today, scholars believe they should be credited to the region of modern-day India.

Little is known of the Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization and the Indus-Sarasvati Civilization) because, unlike Egyptian hieroglyphics or Mesopotamian cuneiform, the Indus Script (also known as Harappan Script) has not yet been deciphered. All that is known of the culture comes from physical artifacts found at sites such as the ruins of the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro.

This gallery presents some of the best-known sites and artifacts excavated to date along with maps of the region based on the chronology suggested by these finds and their location. At the height of the Indus Valley Civilization, Harappa and Mohenjo-daro are thought to have had populations numbering between 40,000-50,000 but little is known of their daily lives today other than what is suggested by their art and architecture.

Continue reading...

[you-know-i-get-itt]

now YOU 🫵 give us the fun facts about the indus valley civilization drainage system 🪠

YES!

i was gonna make several essay posts about the indus valley civilization but the drains can start here:

context: this civilization (also known as the harappan civilization) was roughly from the 33rd century bce to the 13th century bce. for reference, alexander the great was born about 3,000 years after the first indus valley settlements were established

i will talk about other absolutely incredible features of this civilization in subsequent posts, but for now: the drains.

anyone who has more than passing knowledge of the indus valley civilization will almost definitely be obsessed with harappan drains. we cannot shut up about them. hold up here’s a picture:

(source)

harappan drains were typically made of gypsum or limestone, and they were lined with burnt bricks which means they were better (or at least more durably) built than most houses, which were mud-bricked. these bricks were of the same ratio (l:b:h :: 4:2:1) throughout the settlement, which covered a whole lot of ground!! as far as we can tell, the civilization extended to about 1.2 million square miles. also, they were COVERED. BEAUTIFULLY. LOOK AT THE ARCH ON THAT THING. THEY HAD MANHOLE COVERS.

anyway. one thing about the indus valley civilization was its incredibly meticulous town planning, which involved first laying down streets with drains and then building houses beside them. these drain streets were at 90 degree angles and were spaced out very evenly, and every house was connected to a drain through smaller drains in bathrooms, which they had!! people didn’t usually have those, but these guys did!! also, all street drains led to a main underground drain that took everything out of the city. man.

also, this incredibly sophisticated drainage system wasn’t relegated to “elite” parts of the settlement (not that we’re sure they had any in the first place, but that’s a story for another time). as far as we can tell, they were built for the convenience (and sanitary use) of ordinary people. these people prioritized healthcare and sanitation. in 33,000 bce.

also, as far as modern archaeology has discerned, harappa was the first civilization to have had a drainage system at all

i’m realising now that this may not sound very impressive, so here are some contemporary systems for comparison: in the mesopotamian civilization, drains were built with the primary purpose of fending off floods, and they formed a very complicated network that often overlapped and was, uh. confusing as shit. in densely populated cities like ur, refuse was often just swept into the street. ancient egypt had a very well-developed system of canals for irrigation, and there was a lovely system of water engineering, but drainage were usually done through sluice gates (they did have bathrooms too, though! they specifically had toilets built over a shaft that lead to a sewer system that flowed into the nile). keep in mind that the drainage systems of both these civilizations did develop far later in the history of the civilization than they did at harappa

okay that’s it for that rant thank you for listening!! if i’m wrong about anything please please correct me

[h0bg0blin-meat]

I'm just gonna say it.

It is okay if IVC had an entirely separate religion, or lack, thereof. Please do not view this civilization with a predisposition or from the lens of an already-existing religion. Be more open-minded.

[noosphe-re]

[eternalenlightenments]

A street at the ancient city of Harappa in Pakistan. 2500-2000 BCE, Indus Valley Civilisation.

[paulpingminho]

[meetdheeraj]

TIL Bŗihaspathi, Brahmaņaspathi and Brahma were the three major gods of Rig-Veda and not Trimurti of Shiva-Vishnu-Brahma who we consider today as major deities. Later were minor gods in Vedas who were elevated when Puranas were written. They were given more powers, virtues and functions in respective Puranas.

Why might this be? While I don't have the answer, here's something to speculate.

Vedas, considered oldest Hindu texts were written by people who traveled to India from European (central Asian) regions. Were there people in India already?

Yes. Harappan civilization had long ended. Indus Valley Civilization started declining with arrival of Vedic migrants. Here's something more interesting.

Shiva as he is seen today was already present in Harappan civilization. Yes, Shiva was here (with people) long before Vedic people arrived here. So it is highly likely (in fact many historians have already said this) that Shiva and so many other gods (almost all that we worship today) were assimilated into new religion by migrants who arrived here. Coopted. Stories (Puranas) were written in this process. They probably tried to convert natives into their vedic religion. It didn't work. And so they went many steps ahead and instead started calling gods of natives as theirs own. And to support this claim they also wrote stories. A job well done.

Lemme enunciate this further with a recent instance. Last year or a year before that, during Covid, at our annual function of a local deity "Naag Brahmo" who is most times just a god worshipped in form of peepal tree or even a mango and when given form is shown as multi-headed-serpent (sometimes 3, other times 5, 7 too). For some reason someone decided up call people from ISKCON to conduct a bhajan. They arrived. They saw our god who at this place was a five-headed-serpent and slyly told us how this was no ordinary serpent but serpent of lord Vishnu. For the record, we don't consider our god a simple serpent, at times we talk of him with abundant power to move natural elements. But anyways, you get what was happening here.

Why do they do it? My theory is, caste system exists in their world and anyone outside of it is a threat or one less human not under their control. Whatever the reason, fact is, the ancient form of Hindu religion was a religion of migrants and not of natives. While today all of us have traces of Harappa DNA (recent books have abundantly cleared this), ideology is still alien. There's absolutely no reason to be touchy about the religion of migrants. And also tell Mr Amit Shah and company when he calls fellow Indians migrants from here and there. His ancestors, if he thinks he comes from Vedic ancestry, were migrants too.

Finally, just remember how none of the Vedic gods are worshipped by masses today. Gods we pray to were created using Puranas as vessels of their stories. If you think about it then, the only thing that is still practised from Vedic age is caste. So whenever you say your religion is old, sanatan, whenever you try to assert oldest, this is the bit that is oldest and still practised. We all abandoned our old gods but stuck to caste system nonetheless. Caste in that manner was more important to us than even our gods.

[assamartist]

Harappa Civilization, Pakistan: Assam Artist prompted his Imagination through AI. Best visulization so far to imagine the Civilization, people and life 2500 BCE ago. #harappa #punjab #Pakistan #civilization (at Harappa City) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpAjN00s2Ll/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[rigvedanew]

Les pratiques de purification de l’eau dans la vallée de la Sarasvatî

La civilisation des 7 rivières, qui s’épanouissait le long de la Sarasvatî et de ses affluents, accordait une grande importance à l’eau. Cette ressource précieuse était non seulement vitale pour l’agriculture et la vie quotidienne, mais aussi associée à des rituels et des pratiques de purification. Les habitants avaient développé des méthodes avancées pour filtrer, stocker et assainir l’eau,…

[borgiabeacon]

Final Pool Parties in 3300 BCE

The Indus Valley Civilisation, flourishing between 3300 BCE and 1300 BCE in what is now Pakistan and northwest India, was notable for its advanced urban planning, architecture, and social organisation. And sewage, people.

The sophisticated sewage and drainage systems of Harappans were unparalleled in the ancient world, with houses connected to a centralised water network preventing most people from dying from germs.

Quite a futuristic feat for that period, as the Harappan settlements predate Rome by millennia, solidifying its place as one of the most populous and significant urban centers of its time.

This system provided sanitation and helped manage the monsoon floods that could have devastated their cities. In the past, these floods used to be ambivalent, enriching the soil and facilitating agriculture, but also posing threatening urban infrastructure and probably even bringing Harappans to their eventual collapse.

Our expert opinion is: when our home gets flooded all the time, we tend to abandon it.

Or we stay, hoping the floods aren't that bad, right?

Illustration by stupid assholw + AI

Further reading:

1. "The Ancient Indus Valley: New Perspectives" by Jane McIntosh, which offers a comprehensive overview of the civilization's architecture, social structure, and potential religious practices.

2. "Mohenjo-Daro and the Indus Civilization" by Marshall Sir John, a pioneering excavation report that provides firsthand observations of the the extensive urban planning of Harappans.

3. "The Indus Civilization: A Contemporary Perspective" by Gregory Possehl, which discusses the civilization's technology, trade, and the enigmatic script that remains undeciphered, offering insights into its possible religious beliefs and practices.

[rau-ias-study-circle]

It’s very easy to revise and retain History through solving MCQs. In this series we will try to solve basic questions to revise entire syllabus of History.

[you-know-i-get-itt]

okay quick question to get a general idea

also, it’d help if you could mention which of the two names for the civilization you’ve heard more of

[acqiasacademy01]

To what extent has the urban planning and culture in the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss.

[sivavakkiyar]

the Harappan hits: the “Pashupati” seal, Dancing-Girl and the “Priest-King” figure

Harappan clay figurine. This one depicts a mother breastfeeding her little child :)

[greenjaydeep]

#dancinggirlofharappa #harappacivilization #harappantools #harappa #harappaartefacts #artefacts #excavation #archaeology #history #civilisation #motog825gshot (at Prince Of Wales Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpqLHFmvsy_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[paulpingminho]