The Indus valley civilization is believed to belong
to the copper stone age as the presence of iron tools and implements has not
yet been established at any part of this civilization.
Archaeological excavation indicates that the Indus valley civilization
could have flourished in about 300 BC much before the existence of other
West Asian civilization. Contacts with the civilization of Mesopotamia, Elam
and Babylon can be deduced by the discovery of the Indus valley clay seals,
pottery there. This suggests that the civilization flourished from about
3000 BC to
1500 BC.
Anthropological investigation and examination of the human remains
shows that four racial types existed in this civilization. They were the proto
- Australiod, Mediterranean, Alpine and the Mongoloid. Archaeological
excavation reveal the existence of various racial types. Of all these the
existence of the Dravidian
race holds its relevance owing to its wide spread acceptance.
Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus valley culture though existed in its modern form else where it had
to submit to the ultimate ravages of time which is the universal law. The physical
existence of the civilization ended due to various factors.
(a) Changes in the climate leading to the decline of land and agriculture,
thereby enforcing the need to evacuate to other area might have been the reason
for the dissertation of the Indus valley.
(b) Increase in population, excessive deforestation decline in
agriculture etc might have created economic problems leading to the
gradual decay of the culture.
(c) Frequent floods may have led to the devastation of the city
(d) The invasion of the Aryans is the other view that is said to be another
reason which might have also led to the extinction of the life in the Indus
valley.
The Indus valley civilization has put India at par with the other
civilization of the world, which is said to be the foundation on which the
present cultures of nations are built.