ICSE · Grade 6
Ch. 1: Indus Valley Civilization
India's first known urban Bronze Age civilization (2500–1500 BCE), also called Harappan Civilization, famous for planned cities, drainage, the Great Bath, trade, and seals.
1.1 Origin
1.2 Location
1.3 Main Characteristics of the Indus Valley Civilization
1.4 Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization
# Common Mistakes Students Make
1. **Date error:** 2000–1500 BCE ❌ → **2500–1500 BCE** ✅
2. **Dress:** silk ❌ → **cotton and wool** ✅
3. **Discoverers swapped** for Harappa / Mohenjo-daro
4. Thinking civilization was **only** on the Indus river
5. Saying Harappan **script is fully read** (it is not)
6. Forgetting **drainage** as the most striking town-planning feature
7. Writing that they had **many temples** (none clearly found)
Topics in this chapter
-
1.1 Origin
Bronze Age civilization 2500–1500 BCE. One of three early civilizations with Egypt and Mesopotamia. …
-
1.2 Location
From Baluchistan to Gujarat. First city excavated: Harappa (Montgomery, Punjab). Mohenjo-daro in Lar…
-
1.3 Characteristics
Rivers, society, food, dress, ornaments, family life, town planning, architecture, occupations, seal…
-
1.3.7 Town Planning
Citadel + Lower town. Streets at right angles. Scientific covered drainage with manholes.…
-
1.3.8 Architecture
Baked bricks, Great Bath, Great Granary, Assembly Hall, dwelling houses with wells and bathrooms.…
-
1.3.9 Occupation
Agriculture (first cotton cultivators), animal domestication, trade (Lothal dockyard), art & craft.…
-
1.3.10 Seals
2000+ seals of clay, soapstone, copper. Animals and script. Script still undeciphered.…
-
1.3.11 Religious Beliefs
Mother Goddess, yogic figure, pipal tree, amulets, burial with goods, life after death. No temples f…
-
1.4 Decline
Around 3900 years ago. Theories: floods/earthquakes/epidemics, Aryan invasion, river course change.…
Philosophy check
- What is this civilization?
- Why was it advanced?
- How did cities work?
- Where do we still see these ideas?
- Exams — what will be asked?