Indus valley civilization

• Indus civilisation is one of the four earliest civilisations of the world along with the civilisations of Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates), Egypt (Nile) and China (Hwang Ho).
• The civilisation forms part of the proto-history of India and belongs to the Bronze age.
• . In its mature form, the civilisation lasted between 2600-1900 BC.
• It can be divided into following sub-parts
• Early Phase 3500-2600 BC
• Middle (mature) Phase 2600-1900 BC
• Later Phase 1900-1400 BC
• Dayaram Sahni first discovered Harappa in 1921.
• RD Banerjee discovered Mohenjodaro or Mound of the Dead in 1922.

Nomenclature of Indus Valley Civilisation

• Indus Valley Civilisation coined by John Marshall as it flourished along the Indus river.
• Harappan Civilisation after the first discovered site, Harappa.
• Saraswati-Sindhu Civilisation as most of the sites have been found along the Indus-Saraswati river.

Geographical Spread

• The civilisation covered parts of Sind, Baluchistan, Afghanistan, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Maharashtra.
• Mundigak and Shortughai are the two sites located in Afghanistan.
• Western most site Sutkagendor on Makran coast. Eastern most site Alamgirpur in Uttar Pradesh.
• Northern most site Manda in Jammu (River Chenab). Southern most site Daimabad in Maharashtra (River Pravara) are major sites.

Some New Discoveries

• Ganverivala in Pakistan by Rafeeq Mugal.
• Bhirrana oldest Harappan site has said to be the mounds at Bhirrana village on the banks of Ghaggar river.
• Rakhigarhi in Haryana by Amarendra Nath.