Concept Builders
Q1: The “Urban Revolution”
Question: Why is the Harappan civilisation often called the “First Urbanisation”? Answer: It marks the first time in Indian history that people moved from small, rural agricultural villages to large, densely populated cities. These cities had non-agricultural economies (crafts, trade), distinct social hierarchies, and complex infrastructure (brick houses, roads), distinguishing them from the earlier Neolithic cultures.
Q2: Harappan Seals
Question: If the Harappan script is undeciphered, how do we know the seals were used for trade? Answer: Archaeologists found clay tag impressions (sealings) attached to goods. The back of these clay tags often showed the impression of a rope or matting, indicating they were tied to a bundle. If the seal was intact upon arrival, the receiver knew the goods were safe. This physical evidence directly links seals to packaging and transport.
Q3: Uniformity
Question: Bricks found in Harappa and Mohenjo-daro (hundreds of km apart) have the exact same ratio (). What does this tell us? Answer: This suggests a high degree of standardization across the civilisation. It implies either:
- A strong central authority (government) that enforced rules.
- A very tightly integrated guild of craftsmen and traders who followed the same traditions and standards across a vast area.
Q4: The Mystery of Weapons
Question: Archaeologists have found very few weapons (mostly hunting tools) and no evidence of armies. What does this suggest about Harappan society compared to Mesopotamia? Answer: It suggests the Harappans were a relatively peaceful society. Unlike Mesopotamia, where cities often warred with each other and built massive defensive walls against armies, Harappan fortifications were likely for flood protection or social separation, not war. Their influence spread through trade rather than conquest.
Visual Analysis
The Dancing Girl
Observe the “Dancing Girl” statue.
- Material: Bronze (Lost-wax casting technique).
- Posture: Hand on hip, head tilted, relaxed.
- Cultural Insight: The heavy bangles on one arm are a style still seen in tribal communities in Gujarat and Rajasthan today, showing a cultural continuity of over 4000 years.
The Great Bath
- Engineering Marvel: The use of natural bitumen (tar) to waterproof the tank is the earliest known use of this material in India for waterproofing, showing their knowledge of materials science.