Civilizations of the Indus

By: Molly Lord, Alanna Bonavitacola, Amanda Browne, Nia Scott

Geography

• Indus is a subcontinent.– It is separated by the Hindu Kush, Karakorum, and

Himalayan ranges.– The mountains surround a enormous flat and

fertile plain, formed by the Indus and Ganges rivers.

– The Indus river can be used for irrigation and silt, which produces rich land for agriculture.

Environmental Challenges

• Monsoons– From October to February, winter winds blow dry

air westward from the northeast. From June through October, wind carries moisture from the ocean. Powerful storms may cause flooding.

• Yearly flooding, cycles of wet and dry seasons, and rivers shift their courses.

Planned Cities

• They had very advanced cities.– Build strong levees to keep out water. – Because of the many archaeological discoveries

made, the Indus valley civilization was also called the Harappan civilization.

– Their cities were such a success because they were laid out on a precise grid system.

– They baked bricks and had sophisticated plumbing and sewage systems.

Religion

• It was theocracy but no temple has been found.

• Priests prayed for good harvest and safety from floods.

• Artifacts can be linked to modern Hindu culture.

Gods

• Early representations of Shiva, a major Hindu god have been found.

• They may have also worshipped a mother goddess, fertility images, and the bull.– These all have become part of later Indian

civilization.

Language

• The Harappan language has not been deciphered yet. – Linguists have not found any inscriptions that are

bilingual.

• The language is made up of about 400 symbols.– They also represented objects and sounds.

• The language was essential for trade.

Trade

• They used the Indus River for transporting goods.

• The river provided a link to the sea. – The enabled them to trade with distant people such

as the Mesopotamians.– Ships used the Persian Gulf to bring copper, lumber,

precious stones, and luxury goods to Sumer.

• Trading began around 2600 B.C. until 1800 B.C.

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