The Indus Valley Civilization

After carefully sifting through the currently available archaeological evidence from the Indus Valley civilisations it can be said to differ from most other archaic states quite greatly in the deficiency of displays of high status indicating that the Indus Valley civilization, unlike most other archaic states, had some form of structured centralized government. It is also proven to the present time, mostly though graves, that the Indus Valley did not have much obvious consumption, as people did not take many goods with them to the grave. This essay looked at some possible contradictions such as that of the “great bath”, which was a high consumer of water, and the ‘granary’, which could suggest many things. As the cities were built alongside a great river, water consumption would not create an economic burden. Unfortunately the ‘granary’ has proved difficult for archaeologists to determine its actual usage and so it cannot be used as hard evidence for or against the amount of obvious consumption of the Indus Valley. This essay also suggests that we may learn more from the Indus Valley text if ever deciphered, but again cannot be used in argument, as it remains unread. All accredited facts that we have been able to discover, support the original conception of the essay.

It is proven, almost beyond a doubt that the Indus Valley Civilization had at least some form of centralized rule. Evidence to prove this includes the uniformity in its superb town planning over all its cities. For example: the Indus Valley civilization has standardized brick sizes. (Allchin 1982 p???) There was also a unified system of weights and measures and a uniform system of writing. (Possehl 1980: 20) The housing, well-planned streets, wells and the advanced system of drainage positively indicate an authority of some form. (Kenoyer, J.M 1998: 81) The Indus Valley Civilization had two main capital cities of equal size, each built as a whole by an civic authority that had absolute control. (Hawkes 1973: 273) This degree of uniformity in town planning and standardization would require a central authority, not just to instruct the buildings of the cities, but also to enforce their construction and completion. (Lal 1997: 233) Therefore it can be concluded that there were perhaps great leaders, but unlike other archaic states these leaders were not glorified with monuments or in their burials.