Notes For All Chapters – History Class 6
The Harappan Civilization
1. Harappan Civilization
- Started around 1921 CE when archaeologists found remains in Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan).
- It is also called Indus Civilization because it was in the Indus Valley.
- Other important sites: Mohenjo-Daro, Dholavira, Lothal, Kalibangan, Daimabad.
- Common features: Town planning, roads, drainage system, seals, pottery, toys, burial customs.
2. Housing and Town Planning
- Houses were made of baked bricks (some used unbaked bricks and stones).
- They had rooms around a central courtyard, wells, bathrooms, and toilets.
- Excellent drainage system: Covered drains were made of bricks.
- Wide streets in a grid pattern, with houses built in rectangular blocks.
- Cities were divided into sections with fortifications for protection.
3. Seals and Pots
- Seals were square-shaped and made of steatite (a type of stone).
- Seals had pictures of animals (bulls, buffaloes, elephants, tigers, unicorns) and human figures.
Seals were used as stamps. - Harappan people made earthen pots with black designs of fish scales, circles, and pipal leaves.
They buried their dead with earthen pots.
4. The Great Bath
- Found in Mohenjo-Daro.
- Large water tank (12m long, 7m wide, 2.5m deep).
- Lined with baked bricks to stop water leakage.
- Had steps to go inside.
- Water was drained, cleaned, and refilled regularly.
5. Life in the Harappan Civilization
- Agriculture: They grew wheat, barley, peas, sesame, lentils. Cotton was also grown.
- Clothing: Men and women wore knee-length cloth and an upper garment.
- Ornaments: Made of gold, copper, stones, shells, seeds.
- Men and women wore necklaces, rings, armlets, bangles up to the upper arm.
- Art: A famous statue of a man wearing a cloak with a trefoil design was found.
6. Trade
- Trade happened inside India and with foreign countries.
- Harappans exported cotton and muslin cloth to Egypt, West Asia, Southern Europe.
- Imported silver, gemstones, deodar wood, zinc from Kashmir, South India, Iran, Afghanistan.
- Trade happened via land and sea.
- A dockyard was found at Lothal, showing they used ships for trade.
7. Reasons for Decline
- Floods, foreign invasions, and decline in trade.
- Climate change: Weak monsoon, drying rivers, earthquakes, sea level changes.
- People migrated to other places, leading to the decline of the cities.
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