Decline of Harappan Civilization

Decline Of Harappan Civilization:
By Neha Dey.
Introduction:
The Indus Valley Civilization dated from 3300–1300 BCE that was located in the
northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent. Flourishing around the Indus
River basin, the civilization primarily centered along the Indus and the Punjab
region, extending into the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley and the Ganges-Yamuna
Doab, encompassing most of what is now Pakistan, the western states of
modern-day India, as well as extending into southeastern Afghanistan, and the
easternmost part of Balochistan, Iran.
The mature phase of this civilization is known as the Harappan Civilization, as

the first of its cities to be unearthed was the one at Harappa, excavated in the
1920s in what was at the time the Punjab province of British India (now in
Pakistan). Excavation of IVC sites have been ongoing since 1920, with
important breakthroughs occurring as recently as 1999. Mohenjo-Daro, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, is another well-known IVC archaeological site.
Decline of Harappan Culture:
The decline of Harappan culture is difficult to explain. During its late phase
between 2000 and 1700 BC 'The Indus Valley Civilization as a distinct entity
gradually ceased to exist'. Historians have different opinions regarding the
causes of the decay and disappearance of the Harappan culture. Various
causes have been ascribed for its weakening and then decay: Increase in
rainfall, earthquake, decrease in fertility of soil, floods, Aryan invasion, disease
etc.
Mortimer Wheeler pointed out that the Harappan culture was destroyed by
the Aryans. The Aryans were more skilled at warfare and were powerful than
the Harappans. In the last phase of Mohenjodaro, men and women and
children were massacred in the streets and houses. But there is very little
evidence on this opinion.
Sir John Marshal, Lambrick and E.J.H Mackay suggest that the decline of the
Harappan civilization was mainly due to the vagaries of the Indus River. But
this theory is partly true. Some of the evidence of the devastation by floods
has been found at Mohenjodaro and Lothal but there is no such evidence in
respect of other sites like Kalibangan.
Some historians suggest that the first urban civilization came to an end around
1700 BC because its numerous small settlements grew beyond their natural
limits leading to the mismanagement of natural resources. Although the theory
of ecological factors for the decline of the Harappan civilization is latest yet it
does not give us complete answer. Historians are of the view that the decline
of the Indus Civilization was not the result of a single event; it was a slow
decline and a result of combination of factors.
Reasons Stated By Scholars For Decline:
The Harappan culture declined suddenly between 1800-1700 BC and its end is
as puzzling as its beginning. How and why did this first great empire of South
Asia decay into oblivion? One cannot say with certainty whether massacres by
marauders or the inbuilt decay that had set in caused the decline of this
powerful civilization. Another school of thought relates the demise of the Indus
valley civilization to have been brought about by a major tectonic shift that
caused continuous floods of this area.
Research has proved that the decline of the glorious Harappan culture was due
to a variety of factors, both manmade and natural. In the beginning of the
second millennium BC, there were great changes in the environmental
conditions-the climate changed and large parts of the plains were flooded
when tectonic changes threw up a dam in the lower Indus Valley. There were
also other socio-economic factors that contributed to the decline. Agricultural
production declined with the changes in the climate and the big cities could no
longer sustain themselves. People from the major centres perhaps left for the
smaller outposts and slowly riveted back to village life when they could no
longer maintain the prerequisites of an urban existence.
The causes of its decline are not certain. However, the physical existence of the
civilization ended due to various factors:
• Economical changes led to the decline of land and agriculture, thereby

enforcing the need to evacuate to other area might have been the reason for
the disintegration of the Indus Valley. Shifts in the monsoon pattern and
changes in temperature led to the areas more arid.
• Increase in Population, excessive deforestation, decline in agriculture

etc. might have created economic problems leading to the gradual decay of
the culture. The marked decline in the quality of building and town planning
indicates that the authorities were losing control.
• The changes in the river flow pattern and correspondent widespread

flooding would have disrupted the agricultural base.
• The invasion of the Aryans is the other view that is said to be another
reason which might have also led to the decline of the Indus Valley.
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Decline Of Harappan Civilization:

The mature phase of this civilization is known as the Harappan Civilization, as

Decline of Harappan Culture:

Reasons Stated By Scholars For Decline:

• Economical changes led to the decline of land and agriculture, thereby

• Increase in Population, excessive deforestation, decline in agriculture

• The changes in the river flow pattern and correspondent widespread

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