Language, architecture, and culture in the Indus River basin
Language, architecture, and culture in the Indus River basin
An overview of the Indus civilization.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
As in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the Indus--or Harappan--civilization arose along important rivers. The Indus society rose at roughly the same time as Mesopotamia, and came to its height between 2600 and 2500 BC. Today, the Indus River basin covers southeast Pakistan, along the frontier with India.
The rivers of this area provided basic transport and water for people, and enabled the local agriculture. Wheat, barley and rice were grown, as was cotton for textiles. Animal bones found in the ruins are evidence that cattle and chickens were raised. Archaeologists have unearthed granaries, simple homes, baths, and even citadels (or forts) in the Indus communities.
Many buildings were made of brick, which was either sun-baked or fired in an oven to make it harder. The Indus Valley people used copper and bronze to create tools and weapons. They also had their own form of written language, weights, and measures. Most of their language has not been decrypted, however. Their written legacy remains a puzzle to be solved.
Important settlements grew in the Indus Valley. The two largest were Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Each of these cities may have been home to 35,000 people, an impressive population for the time. Remains of goods from Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley have been found in both civilizations, therefore trade was active between them.
The rivers of this area provided basic transport and water for people, and enabled the local agriculture. Wheat, barley and rice were grown, as was cotton for textiles. Animal bones found in the ruins are evidence that cattle and chickens were raised. Archaeologists have unearthed granaries, simple homes, baths, and even citadels (or forts) in the Indus communities.
Many buildings were made of brick, which was either sun-baked or fired in an oven to make it harder. The Indus Valley people used copper and bronze to create tools and weapons. They also had their own form of written language, weights, and measures. Most of their language has not been decrypted, however. Their written legacy remains a puzzle to be solved.
Important settlements grew in the Indus Valley. The two largest were Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Each of these cities may have been home to 35,000 people, an impressive population for the time. Remains of goods from Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley have been found in both civilizations, therefore trade was active between them.