Give an appraisal of town planning of indus cities and evaluate various rasons for their decilne
Answers
Grid Pattern
Harappa and Mohen-Jo Dero were laid out on a grid pattern and had provisions for an advanced drainage system. Streets were oriented east to west. Each street was having a well organized drainage system.
City Walls
Each city in the Indus Valley was surrounded by massive walls and gateways. The walls were built to control trade and also to stop the city from being flooded. Each part of the city was made up of walled sections.
The acropolis and the lower cities
A typical city would be divided into two sections, each fortified separately.
One section was located on an artificially raised mound (sometimes called acropolis) while the other level was on level ground.
The acropolis contained the important buildings of the city, like the assembly halls, religious structures, granaries and in the great bath in case of Mohenjo-Daro.
The lower section of the city was where the housing for the inhabitants was located.
The Residential Buildings
The residential buildings were mainly made up of brick and consisted of on open terrace flanked by rooms. These houses were made of standardized baked bricks as well as sun dried bricks. Some house seven had multiple stories and paved floors.
In-house wells
Almost every house had its own wells, drains and bathrooms. The in-house well is a common and recognizable feature of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Drainage System
Each house was connected directly to an excellent drainage system, which in
dicates a highly developed municipal life.
Granaries
The largest building found at Mohenjo-Daro is a granary, running 150 feet long, 75 feet wide and 15feet high.
The Indus Valley Civilization is known for its distinctive town layout.
Streets
Streets They ranged in width from 13 to 34 feet and were well-lined. The streets and roadways split the city into rectangular units. Archaeologists discovered the lamp posts at regular intervals.
Drainage system
One of the most striking elements of the Indus Valley civilization is the city's perfect closed drainage system. Each home had its own drainage system and soak pit that was connected to the public system.
The Great Bath
The Great Bath is Mohenjodaro's most stunning feature. It is made up of a big quadrangle.
Around 1800 BCE, the Indus Valley Civilization began to decline. Trade with Mesopotamia, which is now mostly in modern-day Iraq, appears to have ceased, according to archaeological excavations. The big cities' excellent drainage systems and baths were constructed over or stopped. The usage of regular weights and measures for trade and taxation began to fade, and writing started to fade.