Categories: UPSC

Archaeological Findings and Evidences Prehistoric: Key Findings, Evidence

Among the four oldest civilizations in the world, the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) is regarded as the largest. The Indus Valley Civilization began to develop between 2600 and 1900 BC, with its sites emerging on the banks of the Indus River around 3000 BC. It was a result of the Bronze Age and demonstrated a much more developed bronze-using culture.

Indus Valley Civilization

The main areas covered by the civilization were northern Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Sindh, and Balochistan. The total area inhabited by humans was estimated to be 1.3 million square kilometers.
Harappa, the earliest site of the Indus Valley Civilization, was discovered in 1921 by the Archaeological Department of India. The civilization itself has been referred to as the Harappan Civilization ever since.
Some Indus Valley Civilization sites were found in the years that followed by different archaeologists. Moreover, since 1921, a great deal of artifacts representing the artistic sensibility and vivid imagination of the Indus Valley Civilization’s inhabitants have been discovered at these sites, including sculptures, jewelry, seals, pottery, and other items.

Indus Valley Civilization Key Locations

In several parts of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, more than a thousand Indus Valley Civilization sites have been discovered. The bulk of these thousand-year-old civilization’s sites are located in India. Let’s go over each of the main Indus Valley Civilization sites individually. The Indus Valley Civilization consists of seven significant sites.

  • Harappa
  • Mohanjodaro
  • The Kalibangan
  • Lothal
  • Chanudharu
  • Dholavira
  • Banawali

These are described in more depth below.

Sites with Archaeological Findings
Site Description Location Archaeological Findings
Harappa
  • The Indus Valley Civilization’s first excavated/discovered site was Harappa. It was excavated in 1921 by a team led by the archaeologist Daya Ram Sahni.
  • This city may have served as the Indus Valley Civilization’s urban center.
It is situated on the banks of the Ravi River in the West Punjabi district of Sahiwal.
  • Human anatomy is depicted by two sandstone statues.
  • Ekkas, or bullshit carts
    Six Granaries are arranged in two rows.
  • worker quarters
  • An image of a dog pursuing a deer in bronze
  • Man’s torso is made of red stone
  • Mother Goddess Pottery sculpture featuring an Indus script.
  • Pottery fragments Terracotta figures
Mohenjodaro
  • The second site to be discovered in the Indus Valley Civilization’s domain was Mohenjo Daro.
  • Discovered in 1922 by R.D. Banerjee and associates, it counts as one of the most significant sites of the Indus Valley Civilization.
It is situated on the banks of the Indus River in the Sindh (Pakistan) district of Larkana.
  • The magnificent bath,
  • Citadel,
  • Bronze statue of a dancer
  • Bronze buffalo
  • A statue in the shape of a bearded priest with the
  • Pashupati seal
  • Three cylindrical seals resembling Mesopotamian ones are located
  • The Assembly Hall
  • The Great Granary.
    A woven fabric piece
Sutkagendor
  • Stein, an archaeologist specializing in Flint blades, excavated Sutkagendor, one of the Indus Valley Civilization centers, in 1929.
  • At present, it is the most known site of the Indus Valley Civilization located to the west.
The location of this Harappan site is on the banks of the East River in the Makran district of Balochistan, Pakistan.
  • Cities with Massive Fortification and Remains of Horse Bones in the Lower Towns Sidewall of the Semi
  • Undressed Stones: A Pot with Human Ash
  • Proof of Pot Burial Stone Vessels
  • Clay is used to create pottery bangles and shell beads.
Chanhudaro
  • The Harappan site known as Chanhudaro was excavated in 1931 by N.G. Majumdar and associates.
  • It can be deduced from the archaeological discoveries at this location that this city served as the Indus Valley Civilization’s manufacturing hub and may have been abandoned.

 

Situated on the banks of the Indus River, this location is in Sindh (Pakistan)’s Nawabshah district. It’s 80 miles to the south of Mohenjo Daro.
  • City Without A Stronghold
  • Tiny Pot (likely an ink pot) Shell Ornament
  • Factory of Metal Workers
  • Bead Manufacturing Plant
  • Shell Ornament Manufacturers Company
  • Center for Making Bangles
  • Bead maker remnants in the plant
  • It was found that kajal and lipstick were being used.
  • Inkpot illustration of a driver seated in a cart
Lothal
  • In 1953, archaeologist R. Rao discovered the city of Lothal, a significant site of the Indus Valley Civilization.
  • This Harappan site’s dock, which is thought to be the oldest in the nation, is one of its most notable characteristics.

 

  • It is situated on the Sabarmati River’s bank, close to the Gulf of Cambay and Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat.
  • The Sabarmati River and this port link the city to the Arabian Sea. As a result, the city became a significant hub for trade throughout all of civilization.
  • Evidence of Rice Fire Altars with Terracotta Ship and Boat Models
  • Homes with Front Door Entry
  • Measurements on a Bronze Rod Stick
  • Dockyard Medicine, Skull Surgery, Painting on Jar Like the Panchatantra Story, Harappan Game Like Chess Warehouse
  • Horse Terracotta Figure from a Bead Manufacturing Factory
  • Shell Ornament Manufacturers Company
  • Factory of Metal Workers
  • Persian Gulf Seals Bead Manufacturing Company
  • A Merchant House in the Citadel District with 12 Bathrooms
  • Impression on Sealing Mesopotamian-Style Reserved Slip Ware
  • Proof Of Trephination Practices Used In Joint
  • Burials Reserved Slip Ware Of Mesopotamian Type
Kalibangan
  • Amala Nanda Gosh discovered Kalibanhan City of the Indus Valley Civilization in 1953.
  • The world’s first plowed fields, according to the archaeologists, were the fields of Kalibangan.

 

  • On the banks of the Ghaggar River, it is situated in the Rajasthani district of Hanumangarh.
  • This river is thought to be the last vestige of the prehistoric Sarasvathi River.
  • Trephination Procedures
  • Medical Theories
  • Skull Surgery
  • Terracotta Human Head
  • Six Different Kinds of Pottery
  • Evidence of plowing camel bones in a copper bull
  • Dual citadel
  • Burned bracelets
  • Altars fueled by fire
  • Sun-dried bricks
  • Fields that have been plowed
  • Plow made of wood
  • Camel bones
  • Lower fortified settlement
  • Evidence of earthquakes
  • Oxide copper
Surkotada
  • The Indus Valley Civilization’s Surkotada site was discovered by J.P. Joshi in 1964.
  • Only in the latter stages of their civilization, from 1900 BC to 1300 BC, did the Harappans establish a settlement at this IVC site.

 

Situated on the banks of the Shadi Kaur river, it is in Gujarat’s Kutch area.
  • Elephant, wolf, and horse bones
  • Fortifications made of stone.
  • Cities with fortified lower towns with remnants of horse bones
  • Large Wall of Semi-Undressed Stones for Fortification
  • A Pot with Human Remains in It
  • Proof of a Pot Burial
Dholavira R.S. Bisht excavated Dholavira in 1985, following its first discovery in 1967. It is among the biggest Indus Valley Civilization sites. It is situated in Gujarat’s Kutch district.
  • Large water reservoirs, embankments, and dams
  • Men in their underwear propelled a figure of a chariot that was fastened to two bullocks.
  • Use of rocks in building.
Banawali
  • R.S. Bisht discovered Banawali, one of the significant Indus Valley Civilization archeological sites, in 1974.
  • The city is made up of a well-built fort town with a 4.5-meter-tall defense wall. The homes were built using brick kilns that had been burned and molded.
It is situated in Haryana’s Fatehabad district. About 120 kilometers northeast of Kalibangan, it is situated
  • High-quality barley grains
  • The village has an oval form.
  • Furnished gray ceramics with theme decoration
  • Comb made of ivory
  • Turtle Shell
  • Both male and female human figures
  • S-shaped jars
  • Painted earthen pots
  • Cooking utensils, etc.

Indus Valley Civilization Other Sites

To gain a deeper understanding of human societies, archaeology relies on the interpretation of data and discoveries made during excavation. The list of prehistoric and Indus Valley Civilization archaeological finds and evidence that we are providing here is quite helpful in getting ready for competitive exams. Here are a few more well-known Indus Valley Civilization locations:

Other Sites of IVC
Site Location
Amri Dadu district, Sindh, Pakistan
Alamgirpur Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh, India
Balu Kaithal district, Haryana, India
Balathal Udaipur district, Rajasthan, India
Daimabad Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India
Desalpur Kutch district, Gujarat, India
Ganeriwala West Punjab, Pakistan
Karanpura Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan, India
Kunal Fatehabad district, Haryana, India
Kot Diji Khairpur district, Sindh, Pakistan
Kot Bala Lasbela district, Balochistan, Pakistan
Mehrgarh Kachi district, Balochistan, Pakistan
Mandi Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, India
Pabumath Kutch district, Gujarat, India
Rangpur Ahmedabad district, Gujarat, India
Ropar Rupnagar district, Punjab, India
Sanauli Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh

 

FAQs

What are the Mohenjo Daro archeological discoveries?

Bronze buffalo, the Pashupati seal, the assembly hall, terracotta toys, the big bath, the citadel, the statite statue of a bearded priest, the vast granary, and other artifacts are among the items that were discovered at Mohenjo Daro.

Who found Lothal?

Archaeologist R. Rao excavated Lothal in 1953. On the Sabarmati River's bank, it is situated in Gujarat close to the Gulf of Cambay.

Which Indus Valley Civilization site is the smallest?

The smallest site of the Indus Valley Civilization is Allahdino. It was found by Fairservis, W.A. It is situated in Pakistan's Karachi city's coastal region.

Who found the Indus Valley Civilization's Harappa site?

Archaeologist Daya Ram Sahni found the Indus Valley Civilization's Harappa site in 1921.

Which are the most significant Indus Valley Civilization archeological sites?

Major Indus Valley Civilization archaeological sites include Harappa, Mohenjo Daro, Sutkagendor, Chanhudaro, Lothal, Kalibangan, Surkotada, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, and Dholavira.

Manisha Kaushal

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