Indus Valley Civilization The Indus Valley Civilization stretched across the northwestern Indian subcontinent, along with some northeastern regions which now belong to Afghanistan. This Civilization was one of the most prominent civilizations of the Old World, spanning over an area of 1.25 million kilometers. The civilization gets its name from the Indus River. The civilization that flourished on the banks of Indus is believed to have had a population of about 5 million.

The Excavation

The cities belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization were known for their efficiently planned cities. Even in those days, the city's layout was well planned and modern. The excavation of these sites have revealed baked brick houses, intricate drainage systems, water supply systems, and a group of large seemingly commercial buildings.
The Indus Valley Civilization is sometimes referred to as the Harappan Civilization, as Harappa was the first site to be excavated. Harappa was excavated in the year 1920. The discovery of Harappa was soon followed by the discovery of Mohenjo-Daro, another significant city of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Governance

Archeological records about the civilization do not offer concrete evidence of the presence of a central governing power. However, historians have concluded that there was one single state. This conclusion is based on the uniformity of the artefacts and planned settlements that were strategically established in areas abundant in raw materials. The Harappan society had no single ruler, and so equality prevailed.

Arts and Crafts

People of the Indus Valley Civilization took keen interest in handicrafts and metallurgy. They used metals such as copper, bronze, tin, and lead. Excavation sites have revealed a variety of sculptures, seals, jewelry, figurines based on the human form made of gold and bronze. Figures of animals such as cows, bears, monkeys and dogs were created using terracotta. The Dancing Girl is a famous Harappan figurine of a girl depicted in a dance formation. This figurine was discovered in Mohenjo-Daro.
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