Chapter 2 First Cities of India
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History of First Cities of India
India's first cities emerged during the Bronze Age as part
of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), one of the world's earliest urban
cultures, flourishing from around 2600 to 1900 BCE. The primary cities of this
civilization include Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Dholavira. Here’s a detailed
look at these first cities:
Harappa
• Location:
Present-day Punjab province in Pakistan.
• Discovery:
First discovered in the 1820s but major excavations were conducted in the 1920s
by Sir John Marshall.
• Features:
• Urban
Planning: Harappa featured sophisticated urban planning with a grid system of
streets.
• Architecture:
Houses made of baked bricks, complex drainage systems, granaries, and public
baths.
• Artifacts:
Numerous artifacts such as seals, beads, pottery, and tools indicate advanced
craft skills.
• Society:
Evidence suggests a highly organized society with social stratification and
trade networks.
Mohenjo-daro
• Location:
Present-day Sindh province in Pakistan.
• Discovery:
Major excavations began in the 1920s by R.D. Banerji.
• Features:
• Urban
Layout: Like Harappa, it had a grid-like street layout, large residential
structures, and public buildings.
• Great
Bath: One of the most famous structures, believed to have been used for ritual
bathing.
• Advanced
Infrastructure: Advanced drainage and sewage systems, wells, and water storage
systems.
• Artifacts:
Rich collection of pottery, jewelry, tools, and the famous "Dancing
Girl" statue, indicating a flourishing artistic culture.
Dholavira
• Location:
Gujarat, India.
• Discovery:
Excavated in the 1990s by R.S. Bisht.
• Features:
• Unique
Layout: The city was divided into three parts: the citadel, the middle town,
and the lower town.
• Water
Management: Remarkable water conservation systems including reservoirs and step
wells.
• Architecture:
Massive stone structures, including a large public space and elaborate
fortifications.
• Artifacts:
Inscriptions, seals, beads, and pottery provide insights into the
socio-economic life of the inhabitants.
Lothal
• Location:
Gujarat, India.
• Discovery:
Excavated in the 1950s by S.R. Rao.
• Features:
• Port
City: Lothal is notable for its dockyard, indicating active maritime trade.
• Urban
Planning: Included a central marketplace, a bead-making factory, and standardized
weights and measures.
• Artifacts:
Beads, pottery, seals, and other trade goods suggest it was a bustling
commercial hub.
Kalibangan
• Location:
Rajasthan, India.
• Discovery:
Excavations in the 1960s led by B.B. Lal.
• Features:
• Agricultural
Innovations: Evidence of early plowed fields.
• Urban
Design: Brick platforms, wells, and drainage systems similar to other IVC
cities.
• Artifacts:
Pottery, terracotta objects, and tools.
These cities exhibit several common features such as advanced urban planning, sophisticated drainage and sewage systems, standardized weights and measures, and a high level of craftsmanship. The Indus Valley Civilization’s cities are a testament to early urban development in the Indian subcontinent, showcasing an advanced and complex society that thrived thousands of years ago.