Lost in Time: The Unexplained Disappearance of the Indus Valley Civilization

The Indus Valley Civilization, also known as the Harappan Civilization, is one of the oldest civilizations that ever existed and its sudden disappearance made it mysterious as well. Even though very little is known about it, it's clear that it was a highly advanced society with remarkable architectural achievements, advanced systems of governance, and unique culture which made them live peacefully rather than being in internal conflicts and clashes.

Who came across Indus Valley Civilization first?

The first person to come into contact with the Indus Valley Civilization was Charles Masson. He was an English soldier, adventurer, and explorer. After getting out of the army, he changed his identity and pursued his passion, and traveled throughout Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan in the early 19th century.

He came across the ruins of Harappa in 1826 while traveling through the Punjab region of Pakistan, which marked the beginning of the scientific exploration of this civilization. He was amazed by the scale and complexity of the city's structures. He described the city's ruins as "massive fortifications, public buildings, and private houses."

He also noted that the city's walls were made of large, rectangular bricks with perfect ratios and that the streets were laid out in a grid pattern.

Indus Valley civilization:

The Indus Valley Civilization was one of the world's earliest urban civilizations, flourishing between 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE. It was located in the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, i.e. present-day Pakistan and some parts of India, Afghanistan, and Iran.

The civilization of the Indus Valley was named after the Indus River that flows through the region. The Indus Valley Civilization is approximately over 4,500 years old, dating back to around 2600 BCE.

The research led to some great discoveries, over 1,000 sites of the Indus Valley Civilization have been discovered in the region, including major cities like Harappa, Mohen-jo-Daro, and Dholavira.

Harappa and Mohen-jo-Daro:

Harappa was one of the largest cities of the Indus Valley Civilization and is located in present-day Pakistan. It was a bustling metropolis city with a population of over 50,000 people at its peak.

The ruins of Harappa reveal a highly developed urban city that had an extensive trade network, sophisticated city planning, and a script that is yet to be fully deciphered. Mohen-jo-Daro was another major city of the Indus Valley Civilization. It was an important center of trade and commerce and had a population of approximately 40,000.

The two cities were remarkably advanced for their time, featuring complex urban planning, sophisticated drainage systems, and public buildings. The houses in these cities were constructed with baked bricks, which were used for building walls and providing a sense of uniformity to the city's architecture.

*You can read about the Lost City of Atlantis and its mysteries here*

Carvings and Architecture:

The carvings found in the Indus Valley Civilization depict a variety of subjects, including animals, humans, and gods. These carvings were discovered on a range of objects, including seals, pottery, and jewelry. The seals, in particular, provide valuable information about the civilization's social and economic structures.

The architecture of the Indus Valley Civilization was highly advanced for its time. The cities were designed on a grid system, with streets intersecting at right angles. The buildings were constructed from baked bricks, which were uniform in size and shape, and were fitted together using a form of mortar made from mud. The Great Bath, found in the city of Mohenjo-Daro, was a large public bathing pool that measures approximately 39 feet by 23 feet.

The bath was constructed using a sophisticated system of bricks and waterproofing materials and was likely used for ritual cleansing and purification.

How developed were they?

Indus Valley Civilization was highly civilized, with evidence of advanced systems of trade, agriculture, and governance. For example, the presence of standardized weights and measures suggests that the civilization had a sophisticated system of trade, while the construction of granaries and other storage facilities indicates a well-organized agricultural system.

The Indus Valley Civilization is also credited with developing one of the world's first conversion systems, based on units of 16. This system was used to measure weight, length, and other quantities, and is believed to have influenced the development of other systems of measurement, including the Babylonian sexagesimal system.

Culture and Religion:

It's thought that they practiced a mix of early Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.

Religion and culture have not been fully understood because their language is tricky to understand and researchers can only guess what I could be. However, some pieces of evidence suggest that the civilization had a rich artistic and cultural tradition and that religion played an important role in daily life.

Language and its Secrecy:

The Indus script is a system of writing that was used by the Indus Valley Civilization. The script consists of a series of symbols, or glyphs. The Indus Valley Civilization spoke a language that is believed to be a form of proto-Dravidian. The language is difficult to understand because it has not yet been fully deciphered, and because there are few surviving examples of written text.

Researchers have made some progress in deciphering the Indus script, but the script remains largely unreadable. Some scholars believe that the script was used to record administrative or commercial information, while others argue that it was used for religious or ceremonial purposes.

Some of the words that have been deciphered from the Indus script include terms related to trade and commerce, as well as some names of cities and rulers. However, the meanings of many of the symbols remain unknown. There are over 400 different signs in the Indus script, which makes it one of the most complex writing systems of the ancient world.

The Indus script is quite different from the Egyptian script, both in terms of its symbols and its grammar. While the Egyptian script is based on a system of hieroglyphs, the Indus script uses a more abstract set of symbols that are arranged in a linear fashion.

Indus Valley and Mesopotamia:

The Indus Valley Civilization was connected to Mesopotamia, which was a neighboring civilization in the West. Evidence of trade has been found between these two civilizations, including imported goods such as copper, tin, and textiles. It is believed that trade between these two civilizations helped to shape their respective cultures.

To put into perspective, The Mesopotamian civilization was a remarkable society that flourished in the region surrounding the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, which corresponds to present-day Iraq. Mesopotamia is considered to be one of the first civilizations that are mentioned in history and it is known for its contributions to various aspects but prominently writing, mathematics, and architecture.

The tranquility of Indus Valley:

The Indus Valley Civilization has been recognized for its reputation for non-violence and peaceful nature this sets it apart from other civilizations of its time, like Mesopotamia and Egypt, who were frequently engaged in wars and internal conflicts. The peaceful way of life may have been a result of their de-centralized governance system, which allowed for society to be more tranquil.

There is no evidence of any war or conflict found there and no hierarchy system of classification was present there. The trade money was spent on the people rather than on pleasing a Pharoh.

The Downfall:

The decline of the Indus Valley Civilization began around 1900 BCE. This decline was gradual and occurred over a period of several centuries. The downfall is the real mystery in the case of the Indus Valley civilization because there are several theories but none of them can be fully believed due to lack of evidence.

One theory suggests that a change in climate patterns may have contributed to the decline of the civilization. It is believed that a drought caused a decline in agricultural productivity, which in turn led to food shortages and the collapse of the civilization.

Another theory suggests that the civilization may have been weakened by political instability. The lack of a centralized government or ruling class may have made it difficult to maintain social order and stability.

The Indus Valley Civilization was completely wiped out by around 1300 BCE. The reason for its disappearance remains a mystery to this day.

Conclusion and Lesson:

The Indus Valley Civilization offers many lessons that are still relevant today. It was a highly advanced civilization that made significant contributions to the fields of science, art, and architecture. Its peaceful nature is a reminder of the importance of diplomacy and cooperation in maintaining social order and stability.

There can be several reasons for their decline like climate change or disease but this mystery won't be solved without the understanding of their language. The study of the Indus Valley Civilization reminds us that our world is constantly changing and evolving and we should adapt and innovate with the environment in order to survive.

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