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Mehrgarh and the Rise of Indus Valley Civilization
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Apr 9, 2025
Explore the fascinating history of the early Indus Valley Civilization societies, one of the world's earliest urban societies. From the dramatic landscapes of the Indian subcontinent to the advanced urban planning of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, discover how geography shaped this ancient civilization. Learn about the sophisticated agricultural practices, extensive trade networks, and cultural innovations that defined the Indus Valley. Uncover the significance of sites like Mehrgarh and the impact of regional trade with Mesopotamia. Dive into the transformation of early Indus society and its role in the broader ancient world system. Don't miss this deep dive into one of history's most intriguing civilizations!
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0:15
the Indian subcontinent lies within vast
0:18
Geographic
0:19
barriers to the north lie the Himalayas
0:23
a chain of mountain ranges extending
0:25
more than 2,000 kilometers from the
0:27
Hindu Kush in the west to Assam in the
0:29
east
0:31
High passes Traverse the mountains into
0:33
Afghanistan Central Asia and Tibet but
0:36
the most accessible routes are the
0:38
Northwestern mountain passes leading to
0:41
Afghanistan Iran and
0:44
baluchistan the Arabian Sea the Indian
0:47
Ocean and the Bay of Bengal surround the
0:49
subcontinent with tropical rainforests
0:52
to the east the northern and
0:55
Northwestern mountains transition into
0:57
the Indus River Plains and the Thar
0:59
Desert leading to the fertile Deen
1:03
Plateau the gas's Basin lies north and
1:06
east of the Deen extending into bear
1:09
Bengal and Bangladesh with increasing
1:11
rainfall and dense tropical forests
1:14
towards southeast Asia The Deen
1:17
Peninsula higher in the west slopes
1:20
Eastward creating wider coastal plains
1:22
along the Bay of
1:24
Bengal these geographic features have
1:27
fostered distinctive States and cultural
1:29
identity in South Asia marked by the
1:31
assimilation of external ideas and local
1:34
diversity due to varied ethnic
1:36
linguistic and Geographic
1:39
factors contemporaneous with the
1:41
earliest civilizations in the old world
1:44
like Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt which
1:47
thrived on the banks of the Tigris and
1:50
Euphrates in Western Asia and the Nile
1:52
in North Africa the indis valley
1:55
civilization in southern Asia flourished
1:57
on the banks of the indis river
2:00
during its peak from 2,600 to 1900 bcee
2:05
the indis cities like madaro and haraa
2:08
were among the largest in the 3rd
2:10
millennium BC and the civilization
2:12
spread from the Arabian Sea to Northern
2:16
Afghanistan the Indus civilization was
2:19
notable for its Advanced urban planning
2:21
sophisticated drainage systems and
2:24
standardized weights and measures cities
2:27
featured well organized layouts with
2:29
grid p streets brick houses and complex
2:32
Water Management
2:34
Systems the civilization had a thriving
2:37
Trade Network both within the region and
2:40
with distant lands such as
2:42
Mesopotamia the Indus script remains
2:45
undeciphered and the civilization
2:47
eventually declined for reasons still
2:49
debated among
2:50
Scholars the discovery of this
2:53
civilization has significantly enriched
2:55
our understanding of early human
2:57
societies and their capabilities
3:01
the Indus River originating in southern
3:04
Tibet flows 1,600 ketes through cashmir
3:08
into the semiarid Indus Plains where
3:11
fertile silt deposits enable large-scale
3:13
agriculture without metal
3:16
tools these Plains bordering beluchistan
3:18
and Eastern Afghanistan resemble the
3:21
southern Mesopotamian Plains in the
3:24
Iranian Plateau experiencing hot summers
3:27
and cold Winters
3:30
Stone Age hunter gatherers inhabited the
3:32
region 12,000 years ago agriculture
3:36
began in South Asia by the third
3:37
millennium BC likely introduced from the
3:40
Northwest but hunting and Gathering
3:43
persisted domestication of humped cattle
3:46
Buffalo and pigs occurred from local
3:48
wild
3:50
populations excavations in the
3:52
baluchistan region of Pakistan have
3:54
uncovered ancient agricultural
3:56
settlements dating back over 3,000 years
3:59
before moeno daro and
4:01
harappa this is significant because it
4:04
was previously believed there was no
4:06
long-term agricultural habitation in the
4:09
area the absence of evidence LED some to
4:12
think that the Indus civilization arose
4:15
from the influence of more advanced
4:17
neighboring regions from
4:20
Mesopotamia food production may have
4:22
started independently in South India but
4:25
the unique Ecology of the Indus Valley
4:27
made it a center for early State
4:29
formation in the region the Indus River
4:32
flows over a vast aluvial plain
4:35
depositing fine silt during its flood
4:37
season from June to
4:40
September this flooding leaves the river
4:42
elevated above the plain with flood
4:45
waters flowing through defined channels
4:47
that spill over their Banks the plane
4:49
features ridges along riverbeds and
4:51
channels with shallow valleys in between
4:55
allowing Farmers to plant Fields where
4:57
water was available
5:00
in late summer communities planted
5:02
winter cereals like wheat and barley
5:04
along flood spill areas and River ridges
5:06
as the waters receded in October and
5:09
November these crops required minimal
5:11
additional watering especially with some
5:14
winter
5:16
rainfall in northern indis settlements
5:18
summer crops such as rice and pulses
5:21
were grown indis agriculture was simple
5:24
requiring minimal labor and Technology
5:26
with no need for elaborate irrigation
5:29
systems
5:31
Farmers also planted summer crops like
5:33
cotton and oil seed near the river or
5:35
old flood canals surrounding Fields with
5:38
earn embankments to control flood
5:41
waters this method was risky due to
5:44
potential flooding but produced large
5:46
food surpluses to support towns and
5:49
cities these agricultural practices were
5:52
still used as late as the 19th
5:54
Century Villages towns and cities like
5:57
mohenjodaro were typically located near
6:00
natural flood channels rather than major
6:02
irrigation schemes reducing the need for
6:05
large scale agricultural
6:08
labor the aluvial indust ples were
6:11
settled as early as the 4th millennium
6:13
BC with numerous pre-ind settlements
6:16
featuring fortifications Metallurgy and
6:18
planned
6:19
streets a typical settlement is Ki
6:23
located about 33 km from the indis
6:27
river in the early third millennium BC
6:30
the people living in the indis valley
6:32
built massive walls from Boulders and
6:35
mud bricks to protect themselves from
6:37
floods these walls also served as
6:41
fortresses inside the walls the
6:43
Villagers houses were clustered together
6:46
toward the end of this period many
6:48
settlements experienced massive fires
6:51
which were likely set deliberately by
6:53
the inhabitance themselves before they
6:54
rebuilt the
6:56
sites by the mature Indus period
7:00
large platforms and other flood defenses
7:02
were constructed around major
7:04
settlements there is no clear evidence
7:06
of interc community violence during this
7:09
time and the diverse resources across
7:11
regions likely promoted cooperation
7:14
rather than
7:16
competition forests once covered much of
7:18
the Indus Valley but the environmental
7:21
conditions varied greatly after the Ice
7:24
Age the larger flood Plaines of the
7:26
Indus stabilized possibly leading to a
7:29
drier climate over
7:31
time as the population grew the pressure
7:34
on agricultural land increased leading
7:37
to the clearing of forests and
7:39
overgrazing by
7:41
livestock this increased the risk of
7:43
severe flooding which required
7:45
Cooperative flood defenses to protect
7:47
the
7:49
communities until the early 2 millennium
7:52
BC the saswati river ran parallel to the
7:56
Indus River but dried up due to tectonic
7:58
shifts in the
8:00
Himalayas dense settlements including
8:03
the major city of ganary wallala existed
8:06
along its
8:08
Banks survival in these harsh
8:10
environments required intense Community
8:13
cooperation led by Chieftains priests
8:15
and kin leaders who acted as
8:17
intermediaries between the people and
8:19
the gods by 2700 BC successful leaders
8:23
of larger settlements presided over
8:26
hierarchies of smaller
8:28
communities mayor gar located at the
8:31
foot of the Bolan pass reveals the deep
8:33
roots of the indu civilization's social
8:36
and economic patterns this site covering
8:40
over 200 hectares was settled
8:42
successively over 3,000 to 4,000 years
8:46
ago in the early 20th century a flood
8:49
exposed 10 meters of Neolithic
8:51
structures from the sixth millennium BC
8:54
showing early permanent farming
8:56
settlements before Pottery
8:58
existed excavations at mirar uncovered
9:02
mud brick buildings used for burials and
9:04
storage artifacts like grinding Stones
9:07
Flint blades and cereal grains like
9:09
barley iron corn wheat emmer and bread
9:13
wheat indicate early agriculture in
9:15
beluchistan
9:17
in the pre potery Neolithic period
9:20
before 6000 BC evidence of early
9:23
agriculture included imprints of various
9:26
cereals and charred seeds of JuJu fruit
9:28
and dat
9:29
Stones initially wild animals were
9:32
common but later domesticated cattle
9:35
goats and sheep
9:36
dominated early water buffalo bones were
9:39
also found marking a transition from
9:42
hunting to
9:43
herting raids from this period contained
9:46
bodies covered with red ochre and
9:48
various Goods like bead necklaces and
9:51
baskets the grave Goods included
9:54
polished Stone axes Flint blades and
9:56
personal ornaments indicating speci
9:59
specialized crafts in longdistance
10:02
trade notable finds included Clay
10:04
figurines both human and animal
10:07
resembling early ones from Western
10:10
Iran these discoveries highlight meara's
10:13
role as a center of early agriculture
10:16
and craft specialization with extensive
10:19
trade networks reaching Central Asia and
10:23
Beyond immediately south of the
10:25
Neolithic finds at mgar evidence of a
10:29
chalk othic occupation from the fifth
10:31
millennium BC known as Period 2 was
10:35
uncovered at a site called mirar
10:38
4 this period between the Neolithic and
10:41
the Bronze Age revealed Pottery in
10:43
several rectangular structures with
10:45
narrow doorless compartments wheat and
10:48
barley grain imprints along with the
10:51
remains of two flint bladet sickles said
10:53
in batumin suggest these compartments
10:56
were used for food storage
10:59
outside one structure hundreds of
11:01
charred seeds including wheat barley and
11:04
cotton were found indicating early
11:07
cotton
11:08
cultivation thousands of animal bones
11:12
mostly from domesticated cattle sheep
11:14
and goats indicate that cattle were a
11:16
primary meat source and possibly used
11:19
for plowing threshing carrying loads and
11:23
milk the pottery from this period
11:26
included fine peer- shaped red jars
11:28
without W curving rims often burnished
11:32
other clay items included two human
11:34
figurines similar to those from the
11:36
Neolithic
11:38
period painted Pottery fragments dating
11:40
to the end of the fifth millennium
11:43
BC and the beginning of the fourth
11:45
millennium BC were also found associated
11:48
with sites like kilig
11:51
Muhammad the discoveries at margar from
11:54
the 6th and fifth Millennia BC provide
11:57
significant insights into the the
11:59
development of early agriculture and
12:01
animal husbandry from hunting and
12:05
Gathering mayor gar shows that early
12:07
agriculture developed near the indis
12:09
valley supporting the idea that the
12:12
Neolithic Revolution was a complex
12:14
process involving multiple centers not
12:17
just Western
12:18
Asia during this period specialized
12:21
crafts existed and longdistance trade
12:24
brought items like turquoise lepus lley
12:27
and shells from distant regions
12:31
the variety of grave goods and their
12:32
unequal distribution suggests social
12:35
differences among the
12:37
population around 4,000 BC the
12:40
settlement at margar moved South to an
12:43
area called margar
12:45
2 this continuity is shown by Pottery
12:48
similar to that found at the surface of
12:50
merar 4 and more elaborate compartmented
12:55
structures during the early phase of
12:57
period 3 significant developments and
13:00
crafts were made Pottery was now
13:03
definitely wheel thrown and
13:04
mass-produced decorated with geometric
13:07
patterns and motifs like rows of birds
13:09
or
13:10
goats beads made from lepes lazuli
13:13
turquoise and Carnelian were crafted
13:16
using cylindrical drill bits made of
13:18
green Jasper rotated by Bow
13:22
drills the use of the potter's wheel and
13:24
bow drill at mirar marks it as a center
13:27
of technical innovation over 1,000 years
13:30
before these practices became widespread
13:33
elsewhere fragments of crucibles used to
13:35
melt copper with traces of the metal
13:38
were also
13:39
found during period 3 agricultural
13:43
diversification included new varieties
13:45
of bread wheat barley and
13:48
oats this mixed cereal farming and
13:51
continued hering of cattle sheep and
13:54
goats provided abundant food leading to
13:56
an increase in the settlement size
14:00
around 3,500 BC the settlement moved
14:04
further south to an area called maror
14:06
one excavations revealed buildings with
14:09
large storage jars Potter's mass
14:12
produced plane Wares in various shapes
14:14
and thicknesses including eggshell thin
14:18
goblets they continued to make decorated
14:21
wees but the bird and goat motifs of
14:24
period 3 were replaced by geometric
14:26
designs and intricate polychrome pattern
14:30
the increasing variety of pottery
14:32
suggests a more Diversified
14:35
demand female figurines now more
14:38
naturalistic and made from terra cotta
14:41
continue to be produced along with the
14:43
first stamped seals made from terra
14:45
cotta and
14:47
Bone around 3,200 BC period 5 began at
14:52
merar a time familiar from excavations
14:55
in eastern Iran and Western
14:57
Pakistan this period was once thought to
15:00
Mark the start of regional growth and
15:02
prosperity with many sites in
15:04
baluchistan and the Indus Valley founded
15:07
at this
15:08
time before the discovery of earlier
15:11
phases at mgar the end of the fourth
15:14
millennium BC was considered the
15:17
beginning of developed farming economies
15:19
in southern
15:20
Asia from the end of the 4th millennium
15:24
BC to the beginning of the third
15:26
millennium BC the margar one area
15:29
continued as a prosperous Agricultural
15:32
Center excavations revealed rooms with
15:35
large storage jars charred remains of
15:38
wheat barley and oats and Flint blade
15:40
sickles set in
15:42
bitumin a new addition to agriculture
15:45
around 3000 BC was the wine
15:49
grape pottery and figurine production
15:52
surged during this period by about 2900
15:55
BC over 200 jars were discovered
15:59
indicating mass production the firing
16:01
technique used layers of straw broken
16:04
pottery and Clay similar to methods
16:07
still used
16:09
today in Period 6 from 3000 BC to 2700
16:14
BC female figurines were modeled in
16:17
seated positions with elaborate details
16:20
like coiled clay around the legs and
16:22
applique eyes during period 7 which
16:25
starts around 2700
16:27
BC in intricate two-story room complexes
16:31
and pottery kils were uncovered showing
16:33
Advanced firing techniques using straw
16:35
and dung as
16:37
fuel margar was a significant Center of
16:41
early Agricultural and craft
16:43
developments influencing the region
16:45
rather than just being influenced by it
16:48
extensive trade networks and local
16:50
Innovations marked its
16:53
importance by the end of period 7 around
16:56
2,000 BC pottery production was massive
17:00
and of remarkable quality Pottery
17:03
included fine gray bowls and goblets
17:06
with intricate designs and some pieces
17:08
were found as far away as Eastern
17:12
Iran figurines from this period were
17:14
more naturalistic standing upright with
17:17
realistic details including male figures
17:20
with turbin and pendants animal
17:23
figurines like a ram carved from
17:25
Alabaster and stamped seals were also
17:28
discovered
17:30
some pottery and artifacts from the
17:32
later part of period 7 resembled those
17:34
of the indu civilization though there's
17:37
no direct evidence linking margar to
17:40
it nearby Graves and Scots with pottery
17:43
and bronze vessels similar to those in
17:46
southern Turkmenistan and Afghanistan
17:48
suggest extensive trade and cultural
17:52
connections marg's findings illustrate a
17:55
continuous process of growth in
17:57
agriculture animal husbandry crafts and
18:00
architecture setting the stage for the
18:02
advanced cultures of the Indus
18:06
civilization between 3,2 2600 BC early
18:11
indis Society consisted of small
18:13
villages with no clear social
18:15
hierarchy these communities lived in a
18:18
low-lying hot environment with fertile
18:21
soil but no metal resources similar to
18:25
Mesopotamia due to the lack of metals
18:28
the people of the Indus Valley could not
18:30
thrive in isolation and needed to
18:32
interact with neighboring
18:35
regions one key region was the highlands
18:38
of southern baluchistan and western
18:40
Pakistan this area provided Metals
18:43
semi-precious stones and Timber and
18:46
relied on dry Agriculture and
18:49
sheeping people from the highlands would
18:51
move their herds of goats and sheep to
18:53
the lowlands during harsh Winters
18:56
fostering economic and social
18:57
development in both areas through
18:59
regular exchanges of goods and seasonal
19:03
migrations during the third millennium
19:05
BC a network of settlements known as the
19:08
kully complex emerged in beluchistan the
19:12
largest settlement called nari featured
19:15
significant public buildings and was
19:18
occupied from about 2,600 to 2200 BC
19:22
coinciding with a mature Indus State
19:25
artifacts from the Indus Valley like
19:27
seals have been found at nari indicating
19:31
strong trade
19:33
connections the kully region also had
19:35
ties to Eastern Iran which had extensive
19:38
trade networks reaching as far west as
19:42
Mesopotamia while it is unclear how much
19:44
trade occurred between kully and the
19:46
East the kully communities played a
19:48
crucial role in the exchange of goods
19:51
with the Indus
19:52
Valley one significant commodity was
19:55
cotton
19:56
cloth cotton a crop domesticated in
19:59
South Asia was likely first used as
20:02
cattle fodder before its potential for
20:03
making cloth was
20:06
discovered evidence of early cotton use
20:09
includes a thread found in a copper
20:11
bracelet from merar dating to the mid
20:13
sixth millennium BC and a piece of
20:16
fabric from the indis city of moeno
20:18
oraro in the thir millennium
20:21
BC this symbiotic relationship between
20:24
baluchistan and the indis valley and
20:27
other regions helped Thrive the rise of
20:29
complex societies the cooperation and
20:32
exchange of goods were vital not only
20:34
for the indis valley but also for
20:36
distant
20:38
Mesopotamia early Indies Society
20:41
underwent a rapid and dramatic
20:42
transformation from a simple egalitarian
20:46
Community to a more complex organized
20:48
society around 2600
20:52
BC this change happened very quickly
20:55
within one or two centuries compared to
20:58
the slow development seen in ancient
21:00
Egypt and
21:01
Mesopotamia this rapid growth may have
21:04
been influenced by changes in trade
21:06
patterns in Su ancient
21:09
Mesopotamia before 2600 BC the Sumerians
21:13
got many exotic items and raw materials
21:15
from the Iranian Plateau but they fac
21:18
difficulties in these trades after 2600
21:21
BC they restructured their trade routes
21:25
opting to get their supplies by sea from
21:27
three regions
21:29
dilman which used to be modern Bahrain
21:32
Megan which is likely parts of Oman and
21:35
UAE and malua believed to be the Indus
21:39
Valley dilman was a small but somewhat
21:42
urbanized Society Megan was made up of
21:45
communities involved in fishing farming
21:48
Mining and metal working with no Central
21:50
Authority malua the indis valley region
21:54
provided Goods like Ivory oils Furniture
21:57
Gold Silver and
21:59
carelian the Sumerians exported Goods
22:02
such as wool cloth leather oil and
22:05
cereals in exchange for these luxury
22:08
items however the Indus people likely
22:11
did not need most of these Goods
22:13
although they might have traded for
22:14
leather wool and Woolen
22:17
cloth around 2300 BC King Sargon of aaan
22:23
Empire mentioned that ships from these
22:24
regions were docked at a city and there
22:27
were even villages of indis Valley
22:29
people in
22:31
Mesopotamia this trade was highly
22:33
organized and conducted by specialized
22:36
Merchants increasing the volume of
22:38
imports and exports
22:41
significantly unlike the non-commercial
22:43
trade systems of the Iranian Plateau
22:46
this sea trade was more commercial and
22:49
possibly controlled by
22:50
Mesopotamia though some Scholars now
22:53
believe it might have been dominated by
22:54
the Indus
22:56
Merchants as Coastal trade routes
22:59
developed linking the Persian Gulf and
23:01
South Asia the region became part of an
23:04
early World System connecting the
23:06
Eastern Mediterranean parts of Eurasia
23:09
and western and southern
23:12
Asia while some believe this trade
23:14
played a crucial role in the development
23:16
of the Indus State others argue that the
23:18
Indus civilization was mainly an
23:20
indigenous development it is likely that
23:23
the Indus Society was built on local
23:25
progress but also participated in this
23:27
broader trade Network
23:29
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