The Bronze Age
of Indus Valley
About five thousand years ago when
Egyptians and Sumerians were building magnificent tombs and temples, but living in mud huts, a
highly developed urban civilisation flourished in the Indus Valley, extensive remains of
which have been found at various sites in Pakistan. Of these ancient sites two of the
most well known are Harappa in Punjab and Mohenjo-Daro in Sind.
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Mohenjo-Daro Tools
Copper and Bronze
objects were first cast and then hammered to required shape. Stone axes and flake-knives have
also been found in several houses of Mohenjo-Daro proving that the arts of the Stone Age
had not been lost. |
| Mohenjo-Daro
and Harappa - Potteries
The earthenware vessels of Mohenjo-Daro were mostly wheel-made and well baked. Plain pottery,
black-slipped polished grey-ware, painted pottery and small vessels painted in various
colours. |
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Mohenjo-Daro Brick
The people of the
Indus Valley Civilisation lived in large cities with broad paved streets. Mohenjo-Daro reveals
a definite scheme of town planning. Some of the streets are thirty feet wide and are aligned
from east to west and north to south. There are large underground drains through which a man
can walk erect. The commodious houses were built of dried bricks and mud plaster.
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Mohenjo-Daro Art
The Indus culture was of the Copper or the
Bronze Age. No traces of Iron have been found. Copper and bronze tools existed side by side
with stone tools. Characteristic exhibits of this civilisation indicate the high cultural
level of the people. They knew spinning and weaving, sculpture and bead making, working in
carnelian. Household articles were of earthenware, shells and stone. Pottery was wheel
made, well baked and includes both plain and decorated wares. |
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Indus Valley Materials