Other sites of Indus Valley Civilization

The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), also known as the Harappan Civilization, was one of the world’s earliest urban cultures, flourishing between 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE in the north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent. While Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are the two most renowned sites, numerous other settlements have been discovered across present-day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. These sites reveal the vast geographical extent and cultural diversity of the civilization, ranging from urban centres to smaller rural settlements and coastal ports.

Geographical Extent

The civilization covered a vast area of over 1.3 million square kilometres, extending:

• In the west to Sutkagendor (on the Makran coast of Balochistan, near Iran),
• In the east to Alamgirpur (in Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh),
• In the north to Shortugai (on the Oxus River, Afghanistan),
• And in the south to Daimabad (in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra).

This wide distribution reflects the Indus civilization’s advanced trade networks, urban planning, and cultural integration.

Major Sites of the Indus Valley Civilization
Below is a summary of significant Harappan sites besides Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, categorised by modern countries and regions.

1. Sites in Pakistan

a) Chanhu-Daro (Sindh)

• Excavated by: N. G. Majumdar and E. J. H. Mackay (1930s).
• Characteristics:
  • Important industrial and craft production centre.
  • Evidence of bead-making, shell working, and metal tools.
  • Absence of a citadel, unlike other major Harappan towns.
• Significance: Possibly a manufacturing town, producing goods for trade with other regions.

b) Kot Diji (Sindh)

• Located near Khairpur, on the east bank of the Indus River.
• Excavated by: F. A. Khan (1955).
• Importance:
  • Revealed pre-Harappan (Kot Diji culture) layers beneath the mature Harappan stratum.
  • Defensive fortifications with stone walls.
  • Early examples of wheel-made pottery and fire altars.

c) Amri (Sindh)

• On the west bank of the Indus, south of Mohenjo-Daro.
• Represents an early phase of the Harappan culture (Amri-Nal culture).
• Exhibited features like mud-brick structures and early pottery traditions.

d) Sutkagendor (Balochistan)

• Near the Pakistan–Iran border, along the Makran coast.
• Excavated by: Stein and Dales.
• Function: Believed to have been a coastal trading post linking the Harappans with Mesopotamia via sea routes.
• Structures: Fortified settlement with mud-brick walls and a possible harbour area.

e) Mehrgarh (Balochistan)

• Situated near the Bolan Pass, on the Kacchi Plain.
• Period: 7000–2500 BCE (pre-Harappan Neolithic site).
• Significance:
  • One of the earliest farming and herding settlements in South Asia.
  • Evidence of domesticated wheat, barley, and animals.
  • Early use of copper tools and pottery.
  • Considered the precursor to the urban phase of the Indus civilization.

2. Sites in India

a) Lothal (Gujarat)

• Located near Ahmedabad, at the head of the Gulf of Khambhat.
• Excavated by: S. R. Rao (1954–63).
• Features:
  • Dockyard—unique feature indicating maritime trade.
  • Bead-making factory, warehouses, and drainage system.
  • Discovery of terracotta figurines, seals, and standardised weights.
• Significance: A major port city, linking Harappan trade with the Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia.

b) Kalibangan (Rajasthan)

• On the banks of the Ghaggar River (ancient Saraswati), Hanumangarh district.
• Excavated by: B. B. Lal and B. K. Thapar (1960s).
• Features:
  • Evidence of both pre-Harappan and mature Harappan phases.
  • Discovery of fire altars, ploughed fields, and cylindrical seals.
  • Citadel and lower town separated by walls.
• Significance: Important for understanding Harappan religious practices and agriculture.

c) Rakhigarhi (Haryana)

• Located in Hisar district; one of the largest known Harappan cities (even larger than Mohenjo-Daro).
• Excavated by: Amarendra Nath and Vasant Shinde.
• Findings:
  • Planned streets, drainage system, granary, and fortification.
  • Burials with pottery and ornaments.
  • Evidence of both urban planning and craft production.
• Importance: Demonstrates the extent of Harappan urbanism in eastern regions.

d) Dholavira (Gujarat)

• Located on Khadir Island in the Rann of Kutch.
• Excavated by: R. S. Bisht (1980s–1990s).
• Features:
  • One of the best-preserved urban sites.
  • Unique city layout with three divisions—citadel, middle town, and lower town.
  • Advanced water management system with reservoirs, wells, and storm drains.
  • Discovery of a signboard with Harappan script (longest known inscription).
• Significance: Exemplifies Harappan engineering, water conservation, and town planning.

e) Surkotada (Gujarat)

• Near Bhuj, Kutch district.
• Excavated by: J. P. Joshi (1970s).
• Findings:
  • Fortified settlement with mud-brick walls.
  • Discovery of horse remains, suggesting the presence of the animal during the Harappan period.
• Significance: Provides clues to the decline phase of the civilization.

f) Banawali (Haryana)

• Located on the banks of the Saraswati (now dry).
• Excavated by: R. S. Bisht.
• Features:
  • Both pre-Harappan and Harappan cultural phases.
  • Well-planned streets and houses, pottery, and terracotta seals.
  • Evidence of agriculture and craftsmanship.

g) Alamgirpur (Uttar Pradesh)

• Located near Meerut, easternmost Harappan site.
• Excavated by: Y. D. Sharma.
• Findings:
  • Late Harappan pottery (painted grey ware) and small-scale industrial evidence.
  • No major urban structures found.
• Significance: Marks the eastern limit of the Harappan cultural spread.

h) Daimabad (Maharashtra)

• Located in Ahmednagar district, on the banks of the Pravara River.
• Excavated by: S. A. Sali (1970s).
• Findings:
  • Late Harappan phase with evidence of copper and bronze artefacts.
  • Discovery of bronze chariot, elephant, bull, and rhinoceros figurines.
• Importance: Marks the southernmost extent of the Harappan Civilization.

i) Ropar (Punjab)

• Situated on the banks of the Sutlej River.
• Excavated by: Y. D. Sharma.
• Findings:
  • Harappan pottery, seals, weights, and human burials.
  • Layers showing continuous habitation from Harappan to post-Vedic periods.
• Significance: Demonstrates cultural continuity from the Indus to later Vedic phases.

3. Sites in Afghanistan

a) Shortugai

• Located on the banks of the Oxus River (Amu Darya), near the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border.
• Excavated by: French archaeologist Henri-Paul Francfort.
• Importance:
  • Northernmost Harappan site.
  • Evidence of trade in lapis lazuli, turquoise, and tin.
  • Indicates Harappan participation in Central Asian trade networks.

b) Mundigak

• Near Kandahar, southern Afghanistan.
• Represents an early centre with urban features resembling pre-Harappan culture.
• Provides evidence of interaction between Indus and Iranian plateau civilizations.

Classification of Sites by Function

Significance of the Regional Diversity

• The distribution of sites across varied ecological zones (coastal, riverine, desert, and mountain) reflects economic adaptability.
• Coastal sites focused on trade and fishing, while inland sites specialised in crafts and agriculture.
• The widespread presence of similar artefacts—such as seals, weights, and pottery—shows a shared cultural and administrative system across the region.