Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
The Late Harappan phase, spanning approximately 1900 BCE to 1300 BCE, represents the period following the decline of the sophisticated urban culture of the Mature Harappan Civilization. This phase is characterized by a gradual de-urbanization, a shift towards smaller, more rural settlements, and a noticeable decline in the distinctive features of Harappan culture such as standardized weights, seals, and elaborate town planning. The reasons for this decline are multi-faceted, often attributed to climate change, shifting river courses, and environmental degradation. Understanding Late Harappan sites is crucial for tracing the transformation and eventual disappearance of one of the world's earliest major civilizations and its legacy in subsequent Indian cultures.
Characteristics of the Late Harappan Phase
The Late Harappan phase signifies a period of transition and decline from the highly organized Mature Harappan period. Key characteristics include:
- De-urbanization: A notable decrease in large, planned urban centers, with a shift towards smaller, often rural settlements.
- Material Culture Changes: A decline in the uniformity and quality of pottery, a reduction in the use of seals and standardized weights, and a general simplification of artifacts.
- Architectural Decline: Less evidence of monumental architecture, advanced drainage systems, and well-organized street patterns that were hallmarks of the Mature Harappan cities.
- Economic Shifts: A move towards more localized economies, with a decline in long-distance trade and specialized craft production.
- Population Movement: An eastward and southward migration of populations from the core Harappan regions to new areas in Gujarat, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh.
Causes of the Decline of the Mature Harappan Civilization
While the exact causes are still debated, several theories contribute to understanding the decline:
- Climate Change: Increased aridity, a reduction in rainfall, and the drying up of major rivers like the Ghaggar-Hakra (possibly the ancient Saraswati River) are widely believed to have impacted agricultural productivity and water availability.
- Flooding and Shifting River Courses: Repeated floods in the Indus River and changes in its course could have devastated urban centers like Mohenjo-Daro, leading to abandonment.
- Ecological Imbalance: Deforestation, overexploitation of resources, and unsustainable agricultural practices may have degraded the environment, making it difficult to sustain large populations.
- Aryan Migration/Invasion Theory: While the "invasion" aspect has largely been discredited, the migration of Indo-Aryan groups around the same period is sometimes cited as a contributing factor to the cultural shifts observed in the Late Harappan phase.
Prominent Late Harappan Sites
Several archaeological sites exhibit characteristics of the Late Harappan phase, demonstrating continuity with changes:
1. Daimabad (Maharashtra, India)
- Location: Situated in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, on the western edge of the Deccan plateau.
- Significance: It is the southernmost site of the Indus Valley Civilization, indicating Harappan expansion into the Deccan region.
- Findings: Pottery showing fine red ware with linear and geometric designs, seals with Harappan script (though rare), microlithic blades, and famous bronze sculptures (chariot, bull, elephant, rhinoceros) attributed to the Daimabad-specific culture that overlapped with Late Harappan.
- Phases: Shows cultural continuity through various periods, including Late Harappan, Savalda, and Malwa cultures.
2. Bhagwanpura (Haryana, India)
- Location: Located in the Kurukshetra district of Haryana, near the seasonal Sarasvati River.
- Significance: Known for showing an overlap between the Late Harappan and Painted Grey Ware (PGW) cultures, indicating cultural interaction and continuity.
- Findings: Remains of mud houses, storage pits, and hearths. Evidence of a semi-urban rural economy based on agriculture and domesticated cattle. Craft activities like clay tablets and sherds with graffiti. One of the few PGW sites with a fire altar, suggesting early Vedic ritual practices rooted in Harappan traditions.
3. Jhukar (Sindh, Pakistan)
- Location: Situated in Sindh, Pakistan.
- Significance: Represents a regional form of Late Harappan culture.
- Findings: Shows a disappearance of urban characteristics, indicating a rural or de-urbanized phase. Pottery shows continuity with Mature Harappan styles but with regional variations. Stone weights and female figurines became rare, unlike earlier phases. Circular stamp seals with geometric designs but lacking the Indus script.
4. Lothal (Gujarat, India)
- Location: Located in the Ahmedabad district of Gujarat, near the Bhogava River.
- Significance: While primarily a Mature Harappan port city, Lothal continued to be inhabited during the Late Harappan phase, albeit with a smaller population and decline in its urban features and trade importance.
- Findings: Famous for its dockyard, warehouse, and evidence of bead-making and shell ornament industries. In its later phases, the emphasis shifted, reflecting the broader decline.
5. Rangpur (Gujarat, India)
- Location: Saurashtra region, Gujarat, India.
- Significance: A significant Late Harappan site that shows clear evidence of devolution from the Mature Harappan phase.
- Findings: Evidence of rice cultivation. Pottery shows changes, with distinctive lustrous red ware. The site reflects a more rural character compared to earlier Harappan settlements.
6. Hulas (Uttar Pradesh, India)
- Location: Saharanpur District, Uttar Pradesh, India.
- Significance: Represents the easternmost extension of the Late Harappan culture.
- Findings: Shows characteristics typical of the Late Harappan phase, with simplified pottery and a more rural settlement pattern, indicating the dispersal of Harappan populations towards the east.
Conclusion
The Late Harappan phase, marked by sites like Daimabad, Bhagwanpura, and Jhukar, offers invaluable insights into the transformation and eventual decline of the majestic Indus Valley Civilization. These sites showcase a gradual shift from centralized urbanism to smaller, more localized settlements, accompanied by changes in material culture, economic activities, and societal structures. The study of these sites helps us understand how a complex civilization adapted to environmental pressures and internal transformations, leaving behind a legacy that influenced subsequent cultures in the Indian subcontinent. It underscores the dynamic nature of ancient civilizations and the interplay between environmental factors and human adaptation.
Answer Length
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