NCERT Explained: Class VI History, Chapter 3 - In the Earliest Cities: Exploring the Harappan Civilization

Introduction to the Topic

Imagine walking through the streets of a city that existed nearly 4,700 years ago. Long before the great empires of Rome or the modern metropolises we live in today, a highly advanced civilization flourished in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. This was the Harappan Civilization, often referred to as the Indus Valley Civilization because most of its early sites were found near the Indus River and its tributaries.

In Class VI History, Chapter 3, 'In the Earliest Cities,' we embark on a journey through time to understand how these cities were discovered, how they were built, and what life was like for the people who lived there. This chapter is vital because it introduces us to the foundations of urban living, showing us that our ancestors were far more sophisticated than we might imagine. They had planned streets, complex drainage systems, and a thriving trade network that spanned vast distances. Studying this topic helps us appreciate the deep roots of our cultural and technological heritage.

Key Concepts Explained

1. The Discovery of Harappa

The story of Harappa is quite unique. About 150 years ago, when railway lines were being laid in the Punjab (in modern-day Pakistan), engineers stumbled upon a mound of high-quality, ready-made bricks. Unaware of their historical value, they used thousands of these bricks to build the railway lines, unknowingly destroying many ancient structures. It was only about 80 years ago that archaeologists realized this was one of the oldest cities in the subcontinent. Since Harappa was the first city to be discovered, all other sites with similar buildings and objects were described as Harappan.

2. Unique City Planning and Architecture

What makes Harappan cities stand out even today is their incredible sense of planning. Most of these cities were divided into two or more parts:

• The Citadel: This was the smaller part of the city, located on the west and built on a higher platform. It was often fortified with walls and likely housed important public buildings and the ruling class.
• The Lower Town: Located to the east, this area was larger but situated lower. This is where the common people lived and worked.

The walls were made of baked bricks. These bricks were laid in an interlocking pattern, which made the walls incredibly strong—so strong that many of them stood for thousands of years!

3. The Great Bath of Mohenjodaro

One of the most famous structures found in the citadel of Mohenjodaro is a special tank known as the Great Bath. It was lined with bricks, coated with plaster, and made water-tight with a layer of natural tar. There were steps leading down from two sides and rooms on all sides. Archaeologists believe this was a ceremonial tank where important people took ritual baths on special occasions.

4. Houses, Drains, and Streets

The residential areas showed a level of planning that is missing in many modern cities. Houses were generally one or two stories high, built around a central courtyard. Most houses had a separate bathing area and some even had wells to supply water.

Perhaps most impressive was the drainage system. Every house was connected to a street drain. These drains were covered and laid out in straight lines. They had gentle slopes so that water could flow through them easily. Because the drains were covered, inspection holes were provided at intervals to clean them. This shows that the Harappans placed a very high value on hygiene and sanitation.

5. Life in the City: Rulers, Scribes, and Craftsmen

Harappan cities were busy places. We can categorize the inhabitants into three main groups:

• Rulers: These people likely planned the construction of the city and sent others to distant lands to get metal, precious stones, and other resources.
• Scribes: These were people who knew how to write. They helped prepare the seals and perhaps wrote on other materials that have not survived.
• Craftspersons: Men and women who made all kinds of things, either in their own homes or in special workshops. They produced beautiful jewelry, pottery, and tools.

6. New Crafts and Technologies

Archaeologists have found many objects made of stone, shell, and metal, including copper, bronze, gold, and silver. Copper and bronze were used to make tools, weapons, ornaments, and vessels. Gold and silver were used to make ornaments and beads. One of the most striking finds is the Harappan Seals. These were usually rectangular stone tablets with carvings of animals and a script that we still cannot read today. They were used to stamp bags or packets containing goods that were being sent from one place to another.

7. The Search for Raw Materials

Raw materials are substances that are either found naturally (like wood or ores of metals) or produced by farmers or herders. The Harappans had to get many of these materials from distant places. For example, they probably got copper from present-day Rajasthan and even from Oman. Tin, which was mixed with copper to produce bronze, may have been brought from present-day Afghanistan and Iran. Gold could have come all the way from Karnataka, and precious stones from Gujarat, Iran, and Afghanistan.

8. Food and Agriculture

While many lived in cities, others lived in the countryside and grew crops or reared animals. The Harappans grew wheat, barley, pulses, peas, rice, sesame, linseed, and mustard. A new tool, the plough, was used to dig the earth for turning the soil and planting seeds. Since this region does not receive heavy rainfall, some form of irrigation may have been used, where water was stored and supplied to the fields as the plants grew.

9. A Closer Look: Dholavira and Lothal

Two important sites in Gujarat give us more insight:

• Dholavira: Located in the Rann of Kutch, this city was unique because it was divided into three parts (unlike the usual two) and each part was surrounded by massive stone walls. Large letters of the Harappan script were found here, carved out of white stone.
• Lothal: Situated beside a tributary of the Sabarmati, Lothal was an important centre for making objects out of stone, shell, and metal. It had a huge dockyard where boats and ships came in from the sea and through the river channel, suggesting it was a major trading port.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Ancient Urbanization: The Harappan civilization was one of the earliest and most advanced urban civilizations in the world, dating back about 4,700 years.
• Grid System: Cities were meticulously planned with a grid system, segregated residential and administrative areas, and sophisticated drainage.
• Economic Prowess: They were skilled in metallurgy, bead-making, and long-distance trade, reaching as far as Mesopotamia.
• Mystery of Decline: Around 3,900 years ago, we see the beginning of a major change. People stopped living in many of these cities, writing and seals fell out of use, and raw materials became scarce. The exact reason—whether it was climate change, deforestation, floods, or the drying up of rivers—remains a mystery for historians to solve.
• Legacy: The Harappan legacy lives on in our understanding of urban planning and craftsmanship.