CLASS

VI

Unit-4

CBSE-i

History
THE RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION - II

River Indus
STUDENTS' MANUAL

Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India

CBSE-i
History
THE RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION - II

River Indus
STUDENTS' MANUAL

CLASS

VI

Unit-4

Shiksha Kendra, 2, Community Centre, Preet Vihar, Delhi-110 092 India

The CBSE-International is grateful for permission to reproduce

and/or translate copyright material used in this publication. The
acknowledgements have been included wherever appropriate and
sources from where the material has been taken duly mentioned. In
case anything has been missed out, the Board will be pleased to rectify
the error at the earliest possible opportunity.
All Rights of these documents are reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, printed or transmitted in any form without the
prior permission of the CBSE-i. This material is meant for the use of
schools who are a part of the CBSE-International only.

Preface
This International Curriculum initiated by Central Board of Secondary Education - (CBSE) is a progressive step in making the
educational content and methodology more sensitive and responsive to the global needs. It signifies the emergence of a fresh
thought process in imparting a curriculum which would restore the autonomy of the learner to pursue the learning process in
harmony with the existing personal, social and cultural ethos.
The Central Board of Secondary Education has been providing support to the academic needs of the learners worldwide. It has
about 12500 schools affiliated to it and over 158 schools situated in more than 23 countries. The Board has always been conscious
of the varying needs of the learners and has been working towards contextualizing certain elements of the learning process to the
physical, geographical, social and cultural environment in which they are engaged. The International Curriculum being
designed by CBSE-i, has been visualized and developed with these requirements in view.
The nucleus of the entire process of constructing the curricular structure is the learner. The objective of the curriculum is to
nurture learner autonomy, given the fact that every learner is unique. The learner has to understand, appreciate, protect and
build on values, beliefs and traditional wisdom, make the necessary modifications, improvisations and additions wherever and
whenever necessary.
The recent scientific and technological advances have thrown open the gateways of knowledge at an astonishing pace. The
speed and methods of assimilating knowledge have put forth many challenges to educators, forcing them to rethink their
approaches for knowledge processing by their learners. In this context, it has become imperative for them to incorporate those
skills which will enable young learners to become 'life long learners'. The ability to stay current, to upgrade skills with emerging
technologies, to understand the nuances involved in change management and the relevant life skills have to be a part of the
learning domains of the global learners. The CBSE-i curriculum has taken cognizance of these requirements.
The CBSE-i aims to carry forward the basic strength of the Indian system of education while promoting critical and creative
thinking skills, effective communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills along with information and media skills.
There is an inbuilt flexibility in the curriculum, as it provides a foundation and an extension curriculum, in all subject areas to
cater to the different pace of learners.
The CBSE introduced classes I and X in the session 2010-11 as a pilot project in schools. It was further extended to classes II, VI
and X in the session 2011-12. In the seesion 2012-13, CBSE-i is going to enter in third year with classes III, VII and XI. The focus of
CBSE-i is to ensure that the learner is stress-free and committed to active learning. The learner would be evaluated on a
continuous and comprehensive basis consequent to the mutual interactions between the teacher and the learner. There are some
non-evaluative components in the curriculum which would be commented upon by the teachers and the school. The objective of
this part or the core of the curriculum is to scaffold the learning experiences and to relate tacit knowledge with formal
knowledge. This would involve trans-disciplinary linkages that would form the core of the learning process. Perspectives,
SEWA (Social Empowerment through Work and Action), Life Skills and Research would be the constituents of this 'Core'. The
Core skills are the most significant aspects of a learner's holistic growth and learning curve.
The International Curriculum has been designed keeping in view the foundations of the National Curricular Framework (NCF
2005) NCERT and the experience gathered by the Board over the last seven decades in imparting effective learning to millions of
learners, many of whom are now global citizens.
The Board does not interpret this development as an alternative to other curricula existing at the international level, but as an
exercise in providing the much needed Indian leadership for global education at the school level. The International Curriculum
would evolve building on learning experiences inside the classroom over a period of time. The Board while addressing the
issues of empowerment with the help of the schools' administering this system strongly recommends that practicing teachers
become skillful learners on their own and also transfer their learning experiences to their peers through the interactive platforms
provided by the Board.
I profusely thank Shri G. Balasubramanian, former Director (Academics), CBSE, Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Training)
CBSE, Dr. Srijata Das, Education Officer CBSE, CBSE along with all the Officers involved in the development and
implementation of this material.
The CBSE-i website enables all stakeholders to participate in this initiative through the discussion forums provided on the
portal. Any further suggestions for modifying any part of this document are welcome.
Vineet Joshi
Chairman , CBSE

Advisory
Shri Vineet Joshi, Chairman, CBSE
Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Training), CBSE
Ideators VI-VIII
Ms. Aditi Mishra
Ms. Guneet Ohri
Ms. Sudha Ravi
Ms. Himani Asija
Ms. Neerada Suresh
Dr. Rajesh Hassija

Ms. Preeti Hans

Ms. Neelima Sharma
Ms. Gayatri Khanna
Ms. Urmila Guliani
Ms. Anuradha Joshi
Mrs. Sonali Sinha

Conceptual Framework
Shri G. Balasubramanian, Former Director (Acad), CBSE
Ms. Abha Adams, Consultant, Step by Step, School, Noida
Dr. Sadhana Parashar, Director (Training), CBSE
Ms. Charu Maini
Dr. Usha Sharma
Prof. Chand Kiran Saluja
Dr. Meena Dhani
Ms. Vijay Laxmi Raman
Mrs. Avanita Bir

Ms. Malini Sridhar

Ms. Leela Raghavan
Dr. Rashmi Sethi
Ms. Seema Rawat
Ms. Suman Nath Bhalla
Prof. Om Vikas

Material Production Groups: Classes VI-VIII

English :
Ms. Neha Sharma
Ms. Dipinder Kaur
Ms. Sarita Ahuja
Ms. Gayatri Khanna
Ms. Preeti Hans
Ms. Rachna Pandit
Ms. Renu Anand
Ms. Sheena Chhabra
Ms. Veena Bhasin
Ms. Trishya Mukherjee
Ms. Neerada Suresh
Ms. Sudha Ravi
Ms. Ratna Lal
Ms. Ritu Badia Vashisth
Ms. Vijay Laxmi Raman
Core - Research
Ms. Renu Anand
Ms. Gayatri Khanna
Dr. N K Sehgal
Ms. Anita Sharma
Ms. Rashmi Kathuria
Ms. Neha Sharma
Ms. Neeta Rastogi
Ms. Manjushtha Bose

Mathematics :
Dr. Ram Avtar
Mr. Mahendra Shankar
Chemistry
Ms. Poonam Kumar Mendiratta Ms. Deepa Gupta
Ms. Gayatri Chowhan
Ms. Rashmi Sharma
Ms. N Vidya
Ms. Kavita Kapoor
Ms. Divya Arora
Ms. Mamta Goyal
Ms. Chhavi Raheja
Physics :
Ms. Vidhu Narayanan
Hindi:
Ms. Meenambika Menon
Mr. Akshay Kumar Dixit
Ms. Patarlekha Sarkar
Ms. Veena Sharma
Ms. Neelam Malik
Ms. Nishi Dhanjal
Biology:
Ms. Kiran Soni
Mr. Saroj Kumar
CORE-SEWA
Ms. Rashmi Ramsinghaney
Ms. Vandna
Ms. Prerna Gosain
Ms. Nishtha Bharati
Ms. Seema Kapoor
Mr. Manish Panwar
Ms. Seema Bhandari
Ms. Vikram Yadav
Ms. Seema Chopra
Ms. Monika Chopra
Ms. Reema Arora
Ms. Jaspreet Kaur
Ms. Neha Sharma
Ms. Preeti Mittal
ICT
Ms. Shipra Sarcar
Ms. Leela Raghavan
Mr. Yogesh Kumar
Ms. Varsha Manku
Dr. K L Chopra

Ms. Nancy Sehgal

Ms. Purvi Srivastava
Ms. Babita Mahajan
Ms. Ritu Arora
Ms. Swati Panhani
Ms. Chanchal Chandna
Geography:
Ms. Suparna Sharma
Ms. Aditi Babbar
History :
Ms. Leeza Dutta
Ms. Kalpana Pant
Ms. Ruchi Mahajan
Political Science:
Ms. Kanu Chopra
Ms. Shilpi Anand
Economics :
Ms. Leela Garewal
Ms. Anita Yadav
CORE-Perspectives
Ms. Madhuchhanda
Ms. Varsha Seth
Ms. Neha Sharma

Chief Co-ordinator : Dr. Srijata Das, EO

Coordinators:
Ms. Sugandh Sharma, EO

Dr Rashmi Sethi, EO

Ms. S. Radha Mahalakshmi, E O Ms. Madhuchhanda, RO (Inn)

Mr. Navin Maini, RO (Tech) Shri Al Hilal Ahmed, AEO Shri R. P. Singh, AEO

Ms. Anjali Chhabra, AEO

Ms. Neelima Sharma,

Consultant (English)

Mr. Sanjay Sachdeva, SO

Sh. R. P. Sharma
Consultant (Science)

Ms. Reema Arora

Consultant (Chemistry)

Contents
1.

River valley civilization:

v
Origin

2.

Urban Civilization:
v
Its unique urban features

3.

Growth:
v
Development of society and the important occupations

4.

Religious beliefs:
v
Nature worshippers

5.

The exquisite artefacts:

v
Study of seals, pottery and toys

6.

The architecture:
v
Lay out of the towns, the Great Bath,
v
The Granary and the drainage system

7.

Downfall of the civilization:

v
The reasons behind the downfall of the River Valley Civilization.

UNIT-IV
THE RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATION II
RIVER INDUS
INTRODUCTION
Indus valley civilization developed along the river Indus 3000 years ago. This civilization is
considered as one of the first known urban civilization of the world. The archaeological
excavations have shown that the inhabitants were well versed with agricultural practices,
rearing of animals, art of making jewellery and artefacts and had good knowledge of
architecture. The economy was well developed and the civilization had good trade relations
with other countries. About 5000 year ago once man had learnt to grow his own food he was
no longer a nomad. He started to lead a settled life. This led to Agriculture. The most
important requirement for man to grow food was fertile soil, good climate and plenty of
water he naturally preferred to settle near river valleys.

Indus Valley Civilization

The earliest River Valley Civilization to emerge was the Indus Valley Civilization

Source: Google Image

The Indus region was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations- Egypt,
Mesopotamia, South Asia and China. It was not discovered until the 1920's. Most of its ruins,
even its major cities, remain to be excavated. Their script has not been deciphered.
Many questions about who created this highly complex culture remain unanswered, but other
aspects of their society can be answered through various types of archaeological studies.

All great civilizations developed and flourished in the river valleys

River supplied a continuous flow of water for agriculture.
Flood waters enriched the soil and made it fertile. It was much easier to cultivate the
fertile land and grow a variety of crops. It not only helped the Harappans to produce
enough food grains for themselves but also keep surplus. The main crops grown were
wheat, barley and peas and in some places rice was also grown.
Animals that came to the river beds to drink or bathe became a source of food.
Animals were domesticated for milk and meat. Some of them were also used for
carrying load.
Rivers were used for fishing and transportation of goods. This was the easiest and
cheapest form of transport which later helped in the development of trade. People
could go too far off places by using their crude boats.
Rivers also posed challenges. Farmers had to control floods and channelize water to
their crops. Dams, canals, dykes had to be built. Farmers worked together to build
dykes, dig canals, and carve out irrigation ditches. Such large scale projects required
leadership and an organized government.
Between 3000-2000 BCE River Valley civilizations were formed independently of
each other along four rivers in different parts of the world. It is remarkable that some
of them developed features and characteristics that were quite similar though they
were located far apart from each other.
The Harappan civilization grew and developed along the River Indus.

The three main phases of the Indus Valley Civilization are:

Early Harappan
Mature Harappan
Late Harappan
The earliest sites to be discovered were Harappa and Mohenjodaro.
The Harappan civilization is called an urban civilization as there was
Agriculture
Proper division of labour
An enigmatic script
Specialized crafts
Planned cities
Science
The people of Indus Valley were the first to develop a system of uniform weights and
measures.
Arts
Various sculptures, seals, pottery, gold jewellery and figurines in terracotta, bronze and
steatite, etc, have been excavated from the sites of the Ancient Indus Valley Civilization.
Trade Transportation
Trade seems to be the major occupation of the people of the Harappan Civilization. The
main forms of transport included bullock carts and boats. Archaeologists have also
discovered an enormous, dredged canal and docking facility at the coastal city of Lothal.
Religion
The large number of figurines found in the Indus Valley Civilization suggests that the
Harappan people worshipped a Mother Goddess, who symbolized fertility. Some of the

seals of that time also have the swastikas engraved on them. Then, there are some others
in which a figure is seated in a yoga-like posture and is surrounded by animals. The figure
is quite similar to that of Lord Pashupati, the Lord of Creatures.

Harappa and Mohenjodaro

The first major excavations carried out from the year 1946 have shown Harappa to have a
large settlement supporting a population of 50,000 people.
Excavations also show that another large river the ancient Saraswati flowed parallel to the
west of river Indus.
Our only source for studying the Harappan civilization is Archaeology. And the most
distinctive artefact is the Seal. Much of what we know about the river valley
civilizations is based on artefacts dug out from under the ground.
Such diggings are called Excavations.
There are two kinds of digs-Vertical and Horizontal.
Vertical digging is better than horizontal digging as it is
Cheaper
A lot more can be discovered as layers are unfolded
DO YOU KNOW?
Ornaments reportedly belonging to the Harappan period (2600-1900 B.C.) was discovered
by the villagers of Mandi in the Muzaffarnagar District of Uttar Pradesh state, 93 miles east
of New Delhi, is challenging previous notions about the geographic reach of the Indus
Valley civilization.
Scholars from the ASI and state's Department of Archaeology immediately visited the site
and declared the jewellery to be Harappan. Gold and silver bangles, gold beads, and agate
and onyx beads all resemble jewellery found at Indus Valley sites such as Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan and at Lothal, Rakhigarhi, and Dholavira in India.

Harappa and Mohenjodaro were the first two cities to be excavated and functioned as capitals
of this civilization. Later excavations reveal smaller cities such as Kot Diji in Sindh,
Kalibangan in Rajasthan, Ropar in Punjab and Lothal in Gujarat.
Harappa and Mohenjodaro show a surprising similarity despite being 350 miles apart
Important features of these two cities:Both cities consist of an acropolis and a lower city, each fortified separately.
The acropolis contains large assembly halls, granaries and edifices for religious
purposes.
There are large public baths built on highly scientific lines.
The lower cities are divided into rectangles by broad streets.
All the houses were connected directly to the well planned drainage system of covered
drains and soak pits.
Each house had a courtyard, private wells and bathrooms and was built with well
baked standardized bricks.
People of the Harappa Culture appear to have known the use of the potters wheel.
They were fond of ornamentation as proved by a large number of necklaces, anklets,
rings, earning and nose studs

A CASE STUDY : THE HUMPED BULL

The majestic zebu bull is perhaps the most impressive motif found on the Indus seals.
Generally carved on large seals with relatively short inscriptions, the zebu motif is found
almost

exclusively

at

the

largest

cities

of

Mohenjo-Daro

and

Harappa.

The zebu bull may symbolize the leader of the herd, or it stands for a sacrificial animal.
When carved in stone, the zebu bull probably represents the most powerful clan or top
officials of Mohenjo-Daro.

Seals
The Harappan seal is the most distinctive artefact and provides archeological evidence of the
Harappan civilization.
Seals were made of a stone called Steatite.
Seals contained animal motives and signs.
Seal and Sealings were used to facilitate long distances communication.
Seals conveyed the identity of the sender.
Many seals have been discovered with motives of the humped bull, boat and
rhinoceros from Mohenjodaro.
Seals with pictographic script have been discovered at the Indus valley sites.
Seals have images of animals, people (perhaps gods), and other types of inscriptions.
Some of the seals were used to stamp clay on trade goods and most probably had
other uses as well.

PICTORIAL SEALS

A CASE STUDY
1. Nandani and Rohini went for a trip to explore the magnificent ruins of the ancient city
of Mohenjodaro. Mesmerized by what they saw they decided to write an article for their
school magazine.
The citadel was the center of religion and government for Mohenjo-Daros 35,000 people.
In the middle of the citadel was the Great Bath. It was a huge, deep bath with steps
leading into it. The people used it for religious purposes because they believed water to
be a great purifier.
The grain was stored in the great granary in Mohenjodaro. It was a huge building made of
thousands of fired bricks and could hold enough food to feed the entire city for a long
time.
Closing my eyes, I could see myself running through the wide main streets of MohenjoDaro. The main streets ran from north to south. There were smaller streets that ran from
east to west and even narrower lanes that divided the houses.
I passed the many craft workshops not yet open for business and soon reached the
waterfront and saw beautiful pottery. Arranged on a colorful cotton cloth was kept the
seal of a horned bull.

Cities of the Indus Valley Civilizations

A sophisticated and technologically advanced urban culture is evident in the Indus Valley
Civilization making them the first urban centers in the region. The quality of municipal town
planning suggests the knowledge of urban planning and efficient municipal governments which
placed a high priority on hygiene, or, alternately, accessibility to the means of religious
ritual.

The cities of the Indus Valley Civilization were well-organized and solidly built out of
brick and stone.
Their drainage systems, wells and water storage systems were the most sophisticated
in the ancient world.
The city was divided into two sections.
The Citadel - was the smaller and higher section.
The Lower Town was the larger and lower section.
The two were physically separated but both were walled cities.
Sundried bricks were used to build houses.
Roads and streets were carefully laid out intersecting at right angles.
Each city boosted of a planned drainage system.
The massive walls of Indus cities most likely protected the Harappans from floods and
may have dissuaded military conflicts.

The Citadel: The Buildings were constructed on mud brick platforms and was
separated from the lower town. The Structures built were for Public use.
The Great Bath and the Granary.

The Great Bath

The Great Bath was a large rectangular tank in a courtyard surrounded by a corridor on all
four sides.

DO YOU KNOW?

Most scholars agree that this tank would have been used for special religious functions
where water was used to purify and renew the well-being of the bathers

There were two flights of steps on the North and South leading into the tank which was made
water tight by using mortar made of gypsum. There were rooms on three sides in one of which
was a large well. Water from the tank flowed in to a huge drain. There were bathrooms
connected to drains that ran along the corridor.

The Great Granary

The Granary a massive building with solid brick foundations with sockets for a wooden super
structure and doorways. It was probably used to store grain.

The Lower Town

The lower town had residential buildings. Most houses were built with a courtyard in the
centre and rooms on all sides. These houses had no windows. Each house had a well.

Dress and Ornaments

We are not sure about the style of dress of the Harappan people, no fibre has survived and
our information is mainly based on two types of materials found there. Firstly, a large number
of spindles used to spin both cotton and woollen threads have been found. Secondly, the
dress seen on the seals found there indicates the same.

Leisure Activities

DANCING GIRL

The most obvious indicator of a civilization that is mature & developed

is that inhabitants have time for leisure activities.
The people of the Indus Valley Civilization were peace loving and
indulged in a number of recreational activities.
The famous figurine of the dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro shows
that the people were fond of Dancing.

10

A harp-like instrument depicted on an Indus seal indicates the use of stringed musical
instruments. People enjoyed singing.
The Harappans also made various toys using terracotta. They enjoyed playing Dice.
They were marvelous craftsmen, skilled in pottery weaving and metal work.
The Great Bath and smaller private pools showed that they enjoyed swimming.
Many clues tell us that the Indus Valley civilization had some relations with other
countries.
Seals which have been used for trade purposes have been found as far as
Mesopotamia.
Greek artistry could possibly have been copied by the sculptors of the Indus valley
civilizations.
Materials from distant regions were used in the cities for constructing beads, seals and
other artefacts.
The massive dockyards tell us that a flourishing trade relation existed between the
people of the Indus valley civilization and other countries like southern Turkmenistan
and northern Iran.
There was an extensive maritime trade network operating between the Harappan and
Mesopotamian civilizations.
Weights and measure and coins used by traders have been found in Egypt and
Mesopotamia,
Harappans used Omani copper.

Decline of the civilization

By about 1800 BCE the Harappan culture was on the decline,
Several explanations have been formulated like-- repeated flooding of towns located
on the river banks and due to ecological changes.

11

Some historians do not rule out invasions by barbarian tribes and massacre in the
northwest as the cause of the decline of the Harappan civilization.
When the initial migrations of the Aryan people into India began about 1500 BC, the
developed Harappan culture had already been practically wiped out.
Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa and their civilization vanished from history until rediscovered
in the 1920s.

Our debt to the Harappan culture

The Harappan culture has given us its superior town planning, sanitary and drainage
arrangements, architecture and the development of arts and craft.
The use of baked bricks by the Harappan people is the greatest contribution to the world.
Modern Hinduism owes much to the religion of the Harappan people. Many forms of worship
among the Hindus such as tree worship, animal worship and idol worship existed during those
days.

A CASE STUDY ON BALAKOT

Today The Indus Valley is a barren desert, broken only by the River Indus. A long
time ago, when the land was first settled, the Indus Valley was a lush and fertile
jungle. It was the home of all kind of wild beasts.
This story tells of that time, many years ago, when the Indus Valley was fertile and
prosperous.
Meeru had been born and raised in the town of Mohenjodaro. When she was 12 her
father, who was a trader, moved his family to the coastal city of Balakot.
Balakot was a port on the main trade route. Boats arrived there daily bringing
goods to the city from far off lands. Once unloaded the boats would be quickly
filled with cargo and ready to continue their journey.

12

13

GLOSSARY
Seal: An embossed emblem, figure, symbol.
Artefact: An object produced or shaped by human craft especially a tool, weapon, or
ornament of archeological or historical interest.
Civilization: Advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science,
industry, and government has been reached.
Faience: Glazed earthenware or pottery, especially a fine variety with highly coloured
designs.
Chronology: The science of arranging time in periods and ascertaining the dates and
historical order of past events.
Excavation: The scientific study of historic or prehistoric people and their cultures by
analysis of their artefacts, inscriptions, monuments and other such remains, especially
those that have been excavated.
Drainage: The system of drains and their operation, by which superfluous water is
removed.
Fortification: A defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a
stronghold to strengthen it.
Pictograph: A record consisting of pictorial symbols, as a prehistoric cave drawing or a
graph or chart with symbolic figures.
Dockyard: A waterside area containing docks used for trade.
Kiln:

Furnace or oven for burning, baking, or drying something, especially one for

firing pottery, calcining limestone, or baking bricks.

Massacre: Mass killings.
Aryans: Members of the peoples speaking Indo-European languages.
Granary: A place to store grain.

14

WORKSHEET NO.1
Name____________________

Class ________

Section__________

1. Imagine that you have a time machine and travelled back to the time of the early
civilization
Which civilization would you like to visit?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Why have you chosen this civilization for visit?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Which were the first two sites to be discovered during the excavations of the Indus Valley
civilization?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Which is the only source of studying the Harappan civilization? Why is this the only source?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
15

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What was Faience used to make?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What were the uses of copper and bronze during the Indus Valley Civilization?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

16

WORK SHEET NO.2

Name____________________

Class ________

Section__________

Name any two important sources which help us to learn more about the Harappan
Civilization.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What is digging of ancient sites called?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Who are the diggers? What are they called?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

17

There are two kinds of digs. What are they called?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Which kind of digging do you think is better? Give reasons.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Name some of the artefacts that have been unearthed during the excavations.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

18

WORK SHEET NO.3

Name____________________

Class ________

Section__________

From the map given below name the other Harappan cities and try to indentify the
modern states they fall in.

b) Study the picture of the seals given below carefully and describe them in your own words.
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Seal A

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_______________________________________
19

_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Seal B

___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
__________________________________________
Seal C

c) The Seal was one of the most important artefacts do you agree with the statement?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

20

WORKSHEET NO.4
Name____________________

Class ________

Section__________

The cities of the Indus Valley Civilization were divided into two parts:
a)

_________________________________________________________________________

b)

_________________________________________________________________________

Why do you think the Citadel was built?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Find out how the Lower City was planned with reference to:
a) Roads_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
b) Houses____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
c) Drains_____________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
21

Describe the striking features of the Great Bath in about six sentences.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Did the Harappans believe in after life?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Name any four luxury items used by the Harappans.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Try to compare the leisure activities of people then and now.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

22

WORKSHEET NO.5
Name____________________

Class ______________

Section_____________

List any three explanations put forward for the decline of Indus valley civilization.
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Which according to you is the most plausible explanation and why?
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Was there an invasion by the Aryans?
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When and who discovered Harappan Civilization?
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______________________________________________________________________________

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WORKSHEET NO.6
Name____________________

Class _____________

Section_____________

Where was Balakot situated?

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______________________________________________________________________________
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What is a Port?
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Who was Meru and what was her fathers occupation?
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What were the boats filled with when they left Balakot?
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24

Name any other two occupations that you think the people of Balakot practiced.
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25

RESOURCES
http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/india/harappa.html
http://www.archaeologyonline.net/artefacts/harappa-mohenjodaro.html
www.harappa.com/har/har0.html
www.thenagain.info/webchron/india/harappa.html

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CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

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