CUET UG History Ancient India Indus Valley Civilisation Features Trade Decline

Must-Know (15–20 detailed bullets)

• The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) was a Bronze Age civilisation that flourished between 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE in the northwestern regions of South Asia.
• Major urban centres of the IVC include Harappa (in modern-day Pakistan), Mohenjo-daro (Pakistan), Dholavira (Gujarat), and Lothal (Gujarat).
• The IVC was first discovered in 1921 at Harappa by Daya Ram Sahni under the Archaeological Survey of India.
• Mohenjo-daro, meaning "Mound of the Dead", is located on the banks of the Indus River in Sindh, Pakistan.
• The Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro was a large, waterproofed public structure, possibly used for ritual bathing.
• Harappan cities were laid out in a grid pattern with well-planned streets intersecting at right angles.
• Houses in Harappan cities were built of standardized burnt bricks with a ratio of 4:2:1 (length:breadth:height).
• The drainage system in Harappan cities was covered, connected to individual houses, and had sumps for cleaning.
• The dockyard at Lothal was connected to the Gulf of Cambay and facilitated maritime trade.
• The IVC people used weights and measures based on a binary system; smaller weights followed a 1:2:4:8:16 progression.
• Harappans traded with Mesopotamia; Mesopotamian texts refer to a land called "Meluhha", believed to be the IVC.
• Evidence of trade with Mesopotamia includes Harappan seals found at sites like Ur and Sumer.
• The primary crop of the IVC was wheat and barley; rice was rare and found only at Lothal.
• Cotton was first cultivated and used in the IVC; the word "cotton" comes from "karpas" (Sanskrit), possibly originating here.
• The Harappan script is undeciphered, consists of about 400–600 distinct signs, and is usually written from right to left.
• Most Harappan seals are made of steatite and depict animals like the unicorn bull, elephant, and rhinoceros.
• The "Priest-King" statue from Mohenjo-daro is a steatite sculpture with a headband and a cloak with trefoil patterns.
• The decline of the IVC began around 1900 BCE, marked by abandonment of cities, reduced trade, and deterioration of urban features.
• Possible causes of decline include climate change, drying up of the Ghaggar-Hakra river (possibly the Sarasvati), and tectonic activity.
• There is no conclusive evidence of large-scale warfare or invasion in the late Harappan phase; verify from NCERT.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate — The topic requires memorization of site-specific features, trade links, and decline theories, but lacks complex concepts or calculations.

Common CUET Traps (3 bullets)

• Trap: Believing the Indus script is deciphered or related to Sanskrit. Avoid: The script remains undeciphered and is not proven to be ancestral to Sanskrit or any known language.
• Trap: Assuming Aryans caused the decline of the IVC. Avoid: There is no direct archaeological evidence of Aryan invasion causing collapse; climate and environmental factors are more widely accepted.
• Trap: Thinking Harappans worshipped only animals or a mother goddess. Avoid: While figurines suggest possible worship of a mother goddess and proto-Shiva (Pashupati seal), religious practices are not fully understood.

Practice MCQs (5 questions)

Q1. Which of the following sites of the Indus Valley Civilisation is located in modern-day Gujarat and had a dockyard?
A. Harappa
B. Mohenjo-daro
C. Dholavira
D. Lothal

Answer: D
Explanation: Lothal in Gujarat had a dockyard connected to the Gulf of Cambay, indicating maritime trade.
Why others fail: Dholavira had water reservoirs but no dockyard; Harappa and Mohenjo-daro are in Pakistan.

Q2. The Great Bath, an important structure of the Indus Valley Civilisation, is found at:
A. Harappa
B. Mohenjo-daro
C. Kalibangan
D. Rakhigarhi

Answer: B
Explanation: The Great Bath is located at Mohenjo-daro and is considered a ritual bathing site.
Why others fail: Harappa has granaries, Kalibangan has fire altars, and Rakhigarhi is a recently excavated large site without a Great Bath.

Q3. Which of the following crops was NOT commonly cultivated by the Harappans?
A. Wheat
B. Barley
C. Rice
D. Millets

Answer: C
Explanation: Rice was rare in the IVC and found only in small quantities at Lothal; wheat and barley were staples.
Why others fail: Millets were grown in some regions, but rice cultivation was minimal and not widespread.

Q4. The term "Meluhha" used in Mesopotamian texts most likely refers to:
A. The Sumerian civilization
B. The Indus Valley Civilisation
C. The Vedic people
D. The Mauryan Empire

Answer: B
Explanation: Mesopotamian records mention "Meluhha" as a distant land with which they traded, identified as the IVC.
Why others fail: Sumerians were Mesopotamians themselves; Vedic and Mauryan periods came later.

Q5. Which of the following is a feature of Harappan urban planning?
A. Use of mud bricks for all constructions
B. Streets laid out in a grid pattern
C. Temples as central urban features
D. Use of iron tools for construction

Answer: B
Explanation: Harappan cities had streets laid out in a grid pattern with right-angled intersections.
Why others fail: They used burnt bricks, not mud; no temples have been conclusively identified; iron was not used (Bronze Age).

Last‑Minute Revision (15–20 one‑liners)

• ⚠️ IVC timeline: 2600–1900 BCE (mature phase).
• ⚠️ Harappa discovered in 1921 by Daya Ram Sahni.
• ⚠️ Mohenjo-daro = "Mound of the Dead".
• ⚠️ Great Bath located at Mohenjo-daro.
• ⚠️ Grid pattern city layout with N-S and E-W streets.
• ⚠️ Standardized burnt bricks: ratio 4:2:1.
• ⚠️ Covered drainage system with sumps.
• ⚠️ Lothal had the only known dockyard.
• ⚠️ Dholavira known for water reservoirs and signboard.
• ⚠️ Kalibangan: ploughed field and fire altars.
• ⚠️ Rakhigarhi: largest IVC site by area.
• ⚠️ Harappan script: undeciphered, 400–600 signs, right to left.
• ⚠️ "Meluhha" in Mesopotamian texts = IVC.
• ⚠️ Harappan seals: steatite, unicorn bull most common.
• ⚠️ "Priest-King" statue from Mohenjo-daro.
• ⚠️ Cotton cultivation first in IVC ("karpas").
• ⚠️ Decline began ~1900 BCE due to climate/environmental changes.
• ⚠️ No evidence of palaces or large temples in IVC.
• ⚠️ Binary weight system: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, etc.
• ⚠️ No conclusive proof of Aryan invasion causing decline — verify from NCERT.