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.

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1.1 Origin 1.2 Location 1.3 Main Characteristics of the Indus Valley Civilization 1.4 Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization
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# Story Mode: A Day with Mina of Mohenjo-daro Mina woke up in her **two-storey baked-brick house**. She filled water from the **well in the courtyard**, then helped her mother grind **wheat and barley**. Her little brother raced a **clay cart with wheels** down the straight lane. The street ran **north–south**, meeting another at a perfect right angle. Under the street, a **covered drain** carried waste away — Mina's father said that was why their city stayed healthy. They walked past the **citadel** wall. High above stood the **Great Bath**. Priests filled it with fresh well water for a ceremony. "Never jump in without permission," mother warned, smiling. At the market, a merchant pressed a small **steatite seal** onto clay — a unicorn figure. "This proves the goods are mine," he said. He traded beads for copper from far lands. Mina's aunt wore **shell bangles** and a polished **bronze mirror**. In the evening they played indoor games. Grandfather pointed to a tiny bronze statue of a dancing girl. "She reminds us to celebrate life," he said. Years later, rains failed and the river shifted. People moved east and south. The great cities grew quiet… but their story waited under the earth until **Dayaram Sahni** and **Rakhal Das Banerji** listened again.
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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?