In The Early Cities

Introduction

“In the Oldest Towns.” These notes provide as a starting point for investigating the origins of urban life and offer insightful information on the first cities that influenced the course of human history. This chapter explores the secrets of ancient urban centers, covering the origins of complex cultures and the beginnings of urbanization.

The Story of Harappa

One of the earliest urban civilizations in history, the Indus Valley civilization, is deeply entwined with the tale of Harappa. combined with Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa was one of the primary urban sites of this civilization, and the two combined mark the pinnacle of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) between 3300 and 1300 BCE during the Bronze Age.Harappa was situated close to the Ravi River in modern-day Pakistan. The city was a bustling urban hub with sophisticated architecture, well-designed streets, and cutting-edge drainage systems. It was a component of an extensive settlement network that spanned northwest India and what is now Pakistan.The items found at the site attest to the Harappan people’s proficiency in a variety of crafts, including beadwork, metalworking, and ceramics. Seals discovered at Harappa with inscriptions thought to be the first writing in South Asia are proof that they traded with other civilizations, notably Mesopotamia.

There is still some mystery about the Indus Valley Civilization’s demise, despite its sophisticated trading links and infrastructure. Environmental changes like altered river patterns, earthquakes, or a reduction in trade routes are examples of potential causes. Political or social turmoil on an internal level could possibly have played a role.

 British archaeologists made the initial discovery of the Harappan ruins in the 19th century, and since then, several excavations have been conducted, illuminating the astounding accomplishments of this ancient society. Harappa is a reminder of the creativity and intellect of the people who once lived in the area.

A fascinating look into a culture that flourished thousands of years ago may be found in the tale of Harappa. Below is a summary of its main ideas:

• Flourishing Cities:

The Indus Valley saw the emergence of towns around 3300 BC, with Harappa being one of the earliest significant urban centers.

Harappa and Mohenjo-daro both prospered by 2600 BC, rising to become some of the Bronze Age’s most advanced towns.

• Advanced urban design

Harappa’s beautiful brick buildings, well-designed streets, and advanced drainage system are proof of their engineering prowess.

Granaries showed a system of orderly food storage, and public baths indicated a concern for personal hygiene.

• The Mysteries of Indus Writing

The Harappans created a distinctive writing system that was carved on tiny seals and included hundreds of symbols.

Deciphering this script is still difficult after many efforts, which limits our comprehension of their language and social system.

• Expanding Crafts and Trade

The Harappans were expert farmers and craftspeople who cultivated cotton, barley, and wheat. They were also skilled in arts and crafts like beading, metallurgy, and ceramics.
Harappan cities have been found to include minerals like turquoise from Afghanistan, indicating a thriving trade with far-off places.

• A Mystifying Reduction

The Harappan civilization started to decline about 1900 BC. Though hypotheses point to resource depletion, social upheaval, or climate change as potential causes, the reasons are yet unknown.

The Indus Valley civilization eventually vanished into obscurity, leaving behind a legacy of a highly evolved culture as cities were progressively abandoned.

• Sustaining Legacy:

Despite the decline of their civilization, the Harappans left behind a wealth of knowledge. Their contributions to agriculture, urban planning, and craftsmanship are still an inspiration to us.

The mysteries surrounding this extraordinary civilization are still being uncovered by the continuing excavations at Harappa and other Indus Valley sites.

Houses, Drain & Street

The wells in these homes produced water, and the majority of the civilization’s dwellings featured separate lavatories. Numerous cities had efficient drainage infrastructure. The drains’ mild incline made it easier for water to pass through them. The streets, drainage, and homes were all built at the same time.

Life in the Harappan world

Harappa was a thriving human community. The city’s social structure was composed of the following elements:

• The decision to erect a building was made by the rulers. The leaders of the area were known as rulers, and they dispatched people to other regions in search of metals, precious stones, and other valuables.
• Scribes assisted in getting the seals ready. They were proficient writers and wrote on a variety of materials that are still in existence today.
• A few men and women created a variety of crafts. Numerous terracotta toys have been found from the Harappan cities, suggesting that these were formerly played with by the children living there.

Contemporary Arts and Crafts in the City

Shells, gold, silver, and stones were among the items discovered among the remnants of the cities. Copper and bronze were utilized to make jewelry, tools, swords, and containers. Ornaments were made of gold and silver. The Harappan people used rectangular stones with animal images carved onto them to create seals. Beautiful pots with black patterns were created. Copper artifacts and silver vases had fabric affixed to them. Faience and terracotta spindle whorls, used for spinning threads, have been discovered by archaeologists.

In Search of Raw Materials

The farmers or herders created and discovered raw materials naturally. Final goods were produced using raw resources. They were located nearby. But several of the objects, including copper, tinder, gold, and silver, were precious metals that had been transported from far-off lands. They used to buy copper from Oman and from what is now known as Rajasthan.Tin was combined with other metals, including copper, to create bronze. These metals were imported from Afghanistan and modern-day Iran. The Harappans used to import precious stones from Afghanistan, Gujarat, and Iran, as well as gold from modern-day Karnataka.

People’s Eating Habits

In Harappa, people farmed crops and raised animals. They farmed wheat, barley, peas, lentils, sesame, mustard, and linseed. To prepare the ground and sow seeds, a plow was utilized. Fields were supplied with stored water.Sheep, cattle, buffalo, and goats were raised by the Harappans. Animals have to travel great distances in search of food and water during the dry season. The Harappan inhabitants fished, farmed a variety of crops, including berries, and hunted wild game, including antelopes.

In Harappa, there were two principal cities: Dholavira and Lothal.

Dholavira

In 1990, RS Bisht and his colleagues dug up the city of Dholavira in Gujarat, close to the Rann of Kutch. It was one of the biggest urban centers in both the Indus Valley and Harappan civilizations. The city was separated into three sections, two of which were fortified with a rectangular layout to provide protection. The city’s structures were built using a variety of unusual stones. The researchers discovered several artifacts that referenced ten alphabets. There was evidence of many agricultural practices, including dam construction, embankments, and irrigation. Furthermore, Dholavira had warehousing settlements.

Lothal

S.R. Rao made the discovery of Lothal in 1957. The Indus Valley is located alongside the Bhagava River. The town of Lothal takes its name from an old mound that lies within its financial jurisdiction. The only location with an abandoned brick dockyard is Lothal. Brick walls encircle the dockyard to keep major flooding out. The first tidal port was discovered in Lothal.

Why the Harappan Civilization Ended and Why It’s Mystery

A significant alteration was found approximately 3900 years ago, and this led to a shift in civilization. There was fear in many cities.Seals, weights, and writings were no longer in use. As the supply of raw materials ran out, they were no longer brought in. The drainage system started to disintegrate, there was an abundance of trash on the streets, magnificent structures had been abandoned, and the residents of Harappa started living dull lives.

The End of the Civilization.

Nobody is aware of the exact reason why the Indus Valley Civilization collapsed. Numerous academics proposed various explanations for the collapse. The first factor that could contribute to the collapse is climate change, which involves changes in the pattern of the climate as well as an agricultural catastrophe that might have led to an excessive alteration of the environment, resulting in overexploitation and a decline in population. Second, some researchers proposed that additional environmental disturbances, such as geological occurrences, might also lead to the collapse by flooding the city and obliterating all of the inhabitants. The third factor that could cause its devastation is human activity, such the invasion of Iran or the presence of tribal people from hilly areas. Theory suggests that there could be an epidemic that causes devastation, which could be the fourth reason. One could argue that a particular sickness spread throughout the region and ultimately resulted in the dangerous death of every Harappan.