lecture 2 harappa civilization

8/10/2019 Lecture 2 Harappa Civilization

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HARAPPA CIVILIZATION



INTRODUCTION

One of the most fascinating yet mysterious cultures ofthe ancient world is the Harappa Civilization. Thisculture existed along the Indus River in present day

Pakistan. It was named after the city of Harappa which it was centred around.

Harappa and the city of Mohenjo-Daro were thegreatest achievements of the Indus valley civilization.

These cities are well known for their impressive,organized and regular layout. Over one hundredother towns and villages also existed in this



region. The Harappan people were literate and usedthe Dravidian language. Only part of this languagehas been deciphered today, leaving numerous

questions about this civilization unanswered. TheHarappan civilization was mainly urban andmercantile. Inhabitants of the Indus valley traded

with Mesopotamia, southern India, Afghanistan, and

Persia for gold, silver, copper, and turquoise. Thiscivilization was the first to cultivate cotton for theproduction of cloth.



HARAPPA CLOTHING

The costume of this civilization has been revealed fromunearthed figurines. The dress can be considered asthe normal attire of the female of that time. The

waist is bare and a very scanty skirt was worn. The

skirt was held by girdle that was made of beads or of bands of woven material secured by a pin orfastening of some kind. One figure wears a cloak

which was wrapped around the body. Head dresses

are used which was wrapped around the upper partof the body and were made of stiffened cotton cloth. A tight collar that gives an appearance of greaterlength to the neck was worn by a few figurines.



The male figures are generally seen to be nude.Probably a robe with or without embroidery was

worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm.The figure of a man at Harappa might be wearing aclose clinging dhoti. Cotton was woven and dyed forclothing. The people were skilled in art of spinningand weaving, they manufactured woolen clothes

from sheep and goats hair



FOOTWEAR

Footwear as such was not found.



ORNAMENTS

People seem to have been fond of Jewellery and hairdressing. Jewellery made of stones, gold and silverhave been unearthed. Men had varied styles of hairdressing. For instance, one wears hair parted in themiddle and the short locks at the back of head are

which are kept tidy by a woven fillet. Some show thehair woven into the bun after the hair being plaited.



Some other figurines show the hair coiled in a ring on thetop of the head and in similar rings concealing the ears.Beards were trimmed in various styles.

Metal ornaments were made of gold, electrum, silver,

copper, and bronze. Stones like lapis , lazzuli, turquopise, jadeite,carnelian, agate,onyx, amzon stone, heliotrope,plasma, tachylite, chalcedony, nepheline-sodalite, shell,pottery, faience, vitreous paste, quartz, serpentine, andhematite were used.

The ornaments used are girdles, necklace, bracelets,pectorals,beads , cones, ear rings,, anklets, bangles andhair pins.



DECLINE

The Harappa Culture was at its peak for around 500 years. The city was destroyed for n number of timesand it was built again and again. The exact cause forthe destruction of this great civilization is unknowntill date.

lecture 2 harappa civilization

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