What Happened to the Indus Valley Civilization? (Video)

The Indus Valley Civilization, despite its vast size, remains one of the most obscure ancient cultures. Flourishing around 3300 BC, it was identified as a “pristine” civilization, developing without external influences or conquest. Early settlements, dating back to 4000 BC, utilized irrigated agriculture to harness the fertile Indus River Valley soil, cultivating crops like wheat, barley, and possibly the earliest cotton.

At its peak, the Indus Valley Civilization boasted over a hundred towns and villages, with Harappa and Mohenjo-daro as its major cities. Notably, it developed a writing system, the Indus script, which remains undeciphered. The civilization’s urban planning featured grid layouts, sophisticated drainage systems, and well-constructed wells and baths, indicating advanced administrative control.

The decline of the Indus Valley Civilization, occurring between 2000 and 1750 BC, is attributed to various factors. While some historians suggest invasions, the limited evidence of warfare points to other causes such as overpopulation, resource depletion, and trade disruptions. Climate change likely played a significant role, with theories suggesting gradual environmental changes or dramatic shifts like river course alterations and flooding. These changes would have devastated urban centers, leading to starvation, disease, and political instability.

Ultimately, the collapse saw the abandonment of cities and the disappearance of the writing system and specialized crafts, as the population shifted focus to survival and farming. The exact reasons remain a subject of speculation and ongoing research.

Top image: Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro, Pakistan. Source: Nikesh chawla/CC BY-SA 4.0

By Robbie Mitchell