Top 10 Indus Valley Civilization Facts

1. The Indus Valley civilization is a bronze age civilization between 3300 BC to 1300 BC. It is one of the most widespread early civilizations as compared to others civilization during ancient time like in Egypt and Mesopotamia. The civilization spreads from Afghanistan to Northwest part of India.

2. The reason for decline of the Indus valley Civilization is not entirely clear. But many researchers believe that drying of the Swaraswati River was the main cause for declination. Some other believes that the migration of large groups of Aryans from North West side is one of the reasons for declination.

3. The civilization witnesses the rise and fall of more than 100 cities including two large cities- Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. At its peak, more than five million peoples were lived the cities. The oldest settled known city of them was Mehrgarh which was established in an around 7000 BC.

4. Cities of this civilization had the world's first planned cities with separated areas for residential buildings and important buildings like assembly halls, religious structures. The cities had municipal town planning, grid pattern road system, urban sanitation systems, bathing platforms and drainage system. The towns have dockyards, granaries, warehouses, brick platforms, and protective walls. Main streets were around 9 meters wide. Peoples of the civilization developed the world's earliest known system of flush toilets.

5. The ruins of Harrappa were first described in 1842 by Charles Masson. In 1853 Sir Alexander Cunningham went to study the ruins in Harrappa after which world came to know about the greatness of the Indus civilization. In the 1920s R D Banerji discover the other great city Mohenjo-daro. More than thousands of sites are discovered till now related to civilization.

6. The peoples of Indus were well known to Length, mass and time measurement. They can measure accurately with the help of standardized uniform measured device made from ivory and bricks. They were also the mastered the art in copper and bronze.

7. Lothal a city during Harappan civilization was used as port city for business and communication. Presently the site is located in Gujarat, India.

8. Archaeologist first thought they had discovered cities of children as large number of toys, dice, marbles and whistles were found during early periods of excavation.

9. In Mohenjo-daro city, archeologist found complex water management planning system with 80 public toilets and more than 700 wells. Every house had an own tiled bathroom and well. They had also system to store rain water. The discovery of earliest public water tank which is now known as Great Bath shows their architectural genius.

10. Cities like Dholavira build dams to control the flow of water so that they can store water in gigantic reservoirs. They use store water for irrigation throughout the year.