Indus Valley Civilisation

Indus Valley Civilisation is the first Civilisation of India grew up in the fertile Indus valley from around 5000 BC. There are pre-Indus cultures dating back to about 8000 BC. Excavations in the valley have uncovered two large cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. It is found that these were well planned cities with wide main streets parallel to one another and smaller streets at right angle to them. The cities had an excellent drainage system and public baths.

The people of the Indus Valley used copper and bronze in great quantity. A bronze statue of a female dancing figure from Mohenjo-Daro is a masterpiece of art. They wore jewellery of gold, silver or shell. Their pottery, plain or painted, show great craftsmanship. Their seals, made of steatite, reveal a great variety of figures of animals or gods and also contain writing, whose decipherment has not produced general agreement among scholars.