Major Indus Valley Sites and Archaeological Discoveries

The Indus Valley Civilization was extended over Sind, Baluchistan, Afganistan, West Punjab, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Maharashtra.

So far more than 1000 Indus Valley Civilization sites have been discovered. In this post we will discuss some major sites of Indus Valley Civilization and famous Archaeological Discoveries of them .

Harappa

Place : Pakistan (Punjab)

On the Bank of River : Ravi

Excavator : Dayaram Sahini (1921)

Important Discoveries and Speciality :

Two rows of six granaries, Granary outside the fort.
Evidence of coffin burial ((Only founded in Harrapa) and cemetery ‘H’ and & R37 culture
Single room barracks
Two red stone idols of a dancing girl and naked bust of male, female genitalia.
Evidence of direct trade Interaction with Mesopotamia.
Postcremation burials more numerous.
Copper Bullock cart
Cubical Limestone Weight
Terracotta Figurines.

Mohenjo-Daro

Place : Larkana District Of Sind

On the Bank of River : Indus

Excavator : R. D. Banerji (1922)

Meaning of the Word “Mohenjo-Daro ” is “Mound of the dead”

Important Discoveries and Speciality :

Multi – pillared assembly Hall
Great Bath
College of Priests.
Large granary
Piece of woven cotton cloth
Superficial evidence of Horse
Bronze dancing girl
Violent death of some inhabitants (discovery of human skeletons together)
Seal representing Mother Goddess, Pashupati, bearded man and a woman to be sacrified
Unicorn Seals (Most numbers of it in here)
Evidence of ship/big boat
Bangles of clay
Bronze buffalo

Lothal

Place : Gujarat (Ahmedabad District, at the head of the Gulf of Cambay)

On the Bank of River : Bhogava and Sabarmati river confluence

Excavator : S.R. Rao (1957)

Meaning of the Word “Lothal ” is also “Mound of the dead”

Important Discoveries and Speciality :

Dockyard
First manmade port
Important sea trade Centre and bead-making factory
Town not divided into two sectors
City divided into six sectors and each section was built on a wide platform of unique brick
Remains of rice husks
Houses with entrances on the main street (houses of all other sites had side entries)
Painting on a jar resembling the story of the cunning fox in Panchatantra
Evidence of double burial (male and female together).
Brick-built tank-like structure
Seal from Mesopotamia
Ivory weight balance
Terracota model of ship
The lower part of the city is walled
Fire altars
Copper dog
Chess-playing

Kalibangan

Place : Rajasthan (Ganganagar)

On the Bank of River : Ghaggar

Excavator : Amlanand Ghosh (1953), Dr. B. B. Lal and B. K. Thapar (1961)

Meaning of the Word ” Kalibangan ” is “Black Bangles”

Important Discoveries and Speciality :

Ploughed field
Fire altars showing practice of cult of sacrifice
Remains of massive brick wall around both citadel and lower town
Evidence of earthquake
Bones of camel
Not as well planned and organised as MohenjoDaro, did not even have a drainage system
Burials in circular and rectangular grave
Provides evidence of preHarappan civilisation at lower layer of excavation and mature Harappan at upper layer of excavation
Decorative bricks used in flooring only at this site

Chanhu-Daro

Place : Pakistan (Sindh), near MohenjoDaro

On the Bank of River : Indus

Excavator : N.G. Mazumdar (1931) and E. Makay

Important Discoveries and Speciality :

Remains of both pre-Harappan and Mature Harappan culture.
Bangle Factory
InkPot
Bead makers shop
Only Harappan city without a citadel
Evidence of Human sacrifice
Clay model of fourwheeler Bronze model of roofed chariot
The footprint of a dog chasing a cat

Dholavira

Place : Gujarat in Rann of Kutchchh

On the Bank of River : –

Excavator : R S Bisht (1985 )

Important Discoveries and Speciality :

Giant water reservoir
Stadium
Unique water harvesting System.
An Inscription comprising ten large sized signs of the Harappan script similar to a signboard.
Only site to be divided into three parts
Large-scale use of sandstone along with mud brick.
Rock – Cut architecture