Indus Valley Civilization - Class V

The Great Bath is one of the well-known structures among the ruins of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization at Mohenjo-daro in Sindh, Pakistan. Archaeological evidence indicates that the Great Bath was built in the 3rd millennium BCE, soon after the raising of the "citadel" mound on which it is located.

Harappan cities were typically divided into two parts: a smaller, higher western part (the citadel) and a larger, lower eastern part (the lower town).

In many cities, archaeologists have found rows of pots, or ceramic rings arranged one on top of the other. These are known as ring wells. These seem to have been used as toilets in some cases, and as drains and garbage dumps

Great Bath is an ancient structure at Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan. The Great Bath dates to the 3rd millennium BCE and is believed to have been used for ritual bathing. Hence, Option A is correct.

The Harappans were famous for their sophisticated use of standardized baked bricks in the construction of their houses and drainage systems.

Harappan terracotta art included various figures such as toys, votive animals, and human forms. Axe heads were typically made of metal, not terracotta.

More than a thousand settlements are now known from the Indus valley civilization. The civilization is known to have had a unity of culture, art, script, and technology. The largest city, Mohenjo Daro is thought to have reached a population of approximately 30,000, suggesting a total population of approximately 5 million people. Sun-dried bricks were used for infill, and burnt bricks were used for the drain and sewer linings. It would seem that a standard brick size was developed and used throughout the Indus cities.

One of the most noteworthy characteristics of Mohen-jo-Daro was that the main entrance of the houses opened in the side lane instead of opening to the main road. This was aimed at keeping the interiors dust free and also to provide greater privacy to the inhabitants. 

The Indus valley cities faced a serious threat from annual floods. To overcome this threat Mohenjo-Daro had nine levels of occupation towering over 300 feet above the present flood plain. Excavations reveal that the city was flooded more than seven times. So the houses were built on high plinth.

The meaning of the word Mohenjo-Daro is 'Mound of the dead'. It is a well planned and organized town. It has two very important buildings; The great Bath and the Great Granary. The Great Bath was perhaps used for ritualistic purposes. Located at the center of the citadel, it is remarkable for beautiful brickwork. The Great Granary, which was perhaps the largest building of the Indus Valley Civilization suggests extreme centralization as the ruling authorities must have first brought the agricultural produce here and then redistributed it.

The drainage system of Mohenjo-Daro was very impressive. Water flowed from the house into the streets which had drains. The street drains were equipped with manholes. Perhaps no other bronze age civilization gave so much importance to health and cleanliness as the Indus Valley people did.

The Harappan civilization is highly regarded for its advanced urban planning, which prioritized sanitation, drainage, and public health.

The most important public space of Mohenjo- Daro seems to be the Great Bath, comprising the tank which was situated in the citadel mound. It is an example of beautiful brickwork. It measures 54.8 meters long and 32.90 meters wide. Flights of steps at either end lead to the surface. There were side rooms for changing clothes. The floor of the Bath was made of burnt bricks. It is suggested that the Great Bath served ritual bathing, which has been so vital to any religious ceremony in India. So all the given statements are correct.

While they had many achievements, the systematic and advanced town planning of the Harappan civilization set it apart from contemporary civilizations like Sumer.

Mohenjodaro's road network was highly organized, featuring wide main streets, a grid pattern, and designs that facilitated natural cleaning by wind.

The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age society. Iron was not introduced to the Indian subcontinent until the later Vedic period.

While town planning was excellent, the highly sophisticated and standardized underground drainage system is considered a unique hallmark of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Lothal is famous for its large artificial dockyard, which served as a major maritime trade hub for the Harappan civilization.

Fortifications in Harappan towns served multiple protective purposes, including defense against floods, raiders, and general security.

While they used metal, the vast majority of everyday utensils and pottery in the Indus Valley were made of clay (terracotta).

Lothal, located in present-day Gujarat, was the primary port city of the Indus Valley Civilization, facilitating maritime trade.

Archaeological evidence, such as Harappan seals found in Mesopotamia, confirms that the two civilizations had active commercial relations.

The Harappan culture provides the earliest archaeological evidence of silver usage in India, often found in the form of ornaments.

The unicorn (often referred to as the unihorn bull) is the most frequently depicted animal on seals found at Harappan sites. While bulls and other animals appear, the unicorn is the most iconic and common motif.

Archaeological evidence, particularly the discovery of Indus seals in Mesopotamia, confirms extensive trade and cultural contact between the Indus Valley Civilization and the Sumerian civilization.

The Great Bath is a massive, brick-lined tank located at the site of Mohenjo-Daro. It is considered one of the most significant structures of the Indus Valley Civilization.

The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age society. Iron was not introduced to the Indian subcontinent until the later Vedic period, long after the decline of the Harappan culture.

The Indus Valley Civilization is globally renowned for its sophisticated urban planning, which included grid-pattern streets, standardized brick sizes, and advanced drainage systems.

Lothal was a major port city of the Indus Valley Civilization. The discovery of a dockyard provides strong evidence that shipbuilding and maritime trade were central to its economy.

The Indus Valley people were proficient in metallurgy, working with copper, bronze, gold, and lead. However, iron was not known to them, as it appeared in India much later.

The bull was the most depicted animal of the Indus Valley Civilization. It was depicted on their seals and tablets. These were Zebu Bull or humped cattle which were probably domesticated by the Harappans for agriculture. Along with Bull, Rhinoceros and Elephants were also depicted by them.

Harappan culture is recognized for advanced metallurgical techniques. Archaeologists have discovered usage of copper, bronze, tin, silver and gold. It was the first time that silver was extracted and used in Indus valley Civilisation. Its usage was mainly in the ornaments such as hair beads, necklace etc. Though it was also hammered to form thin sheets which could have been used to garnish eatables such as sweets. 

Chanhudaro is often referred to as the 'factory town' of the Indus Valley Civilization because of the extensive evidence of bead-making, shell-working, and seal-making workshops found there.

A seal referred to as Pashupati Seal found in Mohenjo-daro depicts a central human figure surrounded by four wild animals, an elephant and tiger on one side and a rhinoceros and a buffalo on the other side. Below the dais are two deer. He is believed to be the central deity and presumed to be earlier depiction of Lord Shiva.

People of Harappan civilisation had domesticated a wide variety of animals. It included camel, buffalo, sheep, dog, pig, oxen etc. Camels were used as a means of transportation while Oxen was used by farming community for cultivation. Dogs and cats were kept as pets. Other animal such as buffaloes and pigs were used as source of food. We came to know about the domesticated animals through their presence on seals and pictures engraved on tablets. Interestingly there is no evidence of Horses being domesticated during harappan period. 

The Pipal tree or Acasia tree was worshipped as the tree of life which was defended by guardian spirits (such as bull, snake or goat) against evil forces such as a tiger. Artistic sense of people is visible in seals, ornaments, clay and bronze figurines. Great Bath or Public pools have been excavated at Mohan-jodaro as well as Dholavira which indicates toward a ritualistic purification bath ceremony observed by resident of Harappan civilisation.

Most Indus Valley cities, such as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, featured houses with entrances opening into side lanes to avoid dust and noise from main streets. Lothal is a notable exception where houses often opened onto the main streets.

Harappan civilization was a Bronze Age society that utilized a variety of materials for tools and weaponry. Archaeological evidence confirms the use of stone, copper, and bronze implements throughout the period.

The Dancing Girl was found at Mohenjo-Daro (A-2). The male torso (grey stone) was found at Harappa (B-1). The small male torso (red limestone) was found at Harappa (C-3). The bust of the bearded man (steatite) was found at Mohenjo-Daro (D-4).

The Indus Valley Civilization is classified as a Bronze Age civilization, which falls under the broader Chalcolithic (Copper-Stone) period, as they used both stone and copper/bronze tools.