1. Chapter 5: Eastern River Valleys
Section 1: The Indus River Valley

2. Indus River Valley

3. The Indus River flows through Pakistan and India.
The Harappans settled here around 2500 BC.
They built dams to control the Indus river.
They grew barley, wheat, peas, melons, and cotton.
Grew cotton hundreds of years before anyone else.

4. Cities They built their cities on mounds to protect from flooding.
Used mud from the river to make bricks, dried them in the sun, and then fired them in a kiln.
This made very strong bricks.

5. Cities of the Indus Valley:
Indus Cities

6. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
Two major cities, 400 miles apart, twin capitals
Oldest examples of planned communities
Streets crossed at perfect right angles
Planned on a grid

7. Each building had its own well, bathroom and drains.
Very good sanitation system
Protected the health of the Harappans

8. Each city had a citadel or fortress on a mound at least 40 feet high.
Mohenjo-Daro had a watertight tank called “The Great Bath”.
Huge granaries stood next to the Great Bath.

9. Decline of the Harappans
No one is sure why they died out
Some believe they depleted their soil.
Others say they cut down all of their trees to fuel their ovens.
Another group believes invaders took over.
1700 BC- decline begins
1200 BC- Aryans take over

10. A Lost Civilization No one can read Harappan writing.
No tombs have been found.
Only info comes from the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.
Tiny seals, made of soap stone were found.
The seals show animals and suggest the area may have been a jungle at one time.