What are the reasons of decline of Harappan Civilization?
Answers
It is commonly believed that the Aryans were the next settlers. They were skilled fighters, so their attack might have led to the destruction of the Harappan Civilization. Even the epics of the Aryans mentioned about their victory over the great cities. The human remains found during excavation of Indus valley point towards some violent cause of their death. Now many historians, who do not believe this theory, say that the Aryans might not be involved in any such attack.
Owing to this conflict, the theory of a huge climatic change or natural disaster gained credibility. It has been found out that around 2000 BC some major climatic changes started occurring in the Indus Valley. These changes had led to floods in the plains and cities. Historians have found evidence to prove this theory as well. Most of the cities in the Harappan Civilization have been found in a condition as if these had been first abandoned and then rebuilt.
Cities, for instance, were initially built with great care but reconstruction of the same was done with broken bricks and no attention was paid to the proper sewage system during reconstruction. Proper sewage system was one of the major characteristics of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Then, there was a fall in the average rainfall in the cities leading to the formation of desert-like condition. This led to the decline in agriculture on which most of the trade was dependent. Owing to this, people of the Indus Valley started shifting to some other location leading to the decline in the entire civilization. As per some scholars, the reason of the decline is the change in the course of River Ghaggar-Harka that had led to an increase in aridity of the place. Around 2000 BC, there was found an increase in arid conditions. The location where the Indus valley civilisation once flourished is a desert today.
ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄʟɪɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴅᴜs ᴠᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ, ᴀs ɴᴏ ʀᴇʟɪᴀʙʟᴇ ʀᴇsᴏᴜʀᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴇʀɪᴏᴅ ɪs ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛ. ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜsɪᴏɴ ʀᴇɢᴀʀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄʟɪɴᴇ ɪs ʙᴀsᴇᴅ ᴜᴘᴏɴ sᴘᴇᴄᴜʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴀɴs. ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄʟɪɴᴇ ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴇxᴄᴀᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ɪᴛ ɪs ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʀᴀᴘᴘᴀɴ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏᴄᴄᴜʀʀᴇᴅ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ 1800 ʙᴄ ᴛᴏ 1700 ʙᴄ.
ɪᴛ ɪs ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴏɴʟʏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀʏᴀɴs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇxᴛ sᴇᴛᴛʟᴇʀs. ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ sᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ ғɪɢʜᴛᴇʀs, sᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʀᴀᴘᴘᴀɴ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴘɪᴄs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀʏᴀɴs ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴠɪᴄᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴄɪᴛɪᴇs. ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴇxᴄᴀᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ɪɴᴅᴜs ᴠᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅs sᴏᴍᴇ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴛ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ. ɴᴏᴡ ᴍᴀɴʏ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴀɴs, ᴡʜᴏ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴛʜᴇᴏʀʏ, sᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀʏᴀɴs ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀɴʏ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋ.
ᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀʏ ᴏғ ᴀ ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴄʟɪᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴏʀ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴅɪsᴀsᴛᴇʀ ɢᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ. ɪᴛ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ 2000 ʙᴄ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ ᴄʟɪᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇs sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴏᴄᴄᴜʀʀɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴅᴜs ᴠᴀʟʟᴇʏ. ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇs ʜᴀᴅ ʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ғʟᴏᴏᴅs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀɪɴs ᴀɴᴅ ᴄɪᴛɪᴇs. ʜɪsᴛᴏʀɪᴀɴs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴇᴠɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴛʜᴇᴏʀʏ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ. ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄɪᴛɪᴇs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʀᴀᴘᴘᴀɴ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴄᴏɴᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀs ɪғ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʀᴇʙᴜɪʟᴛ.
ᴄɪᴛɪᴇs, ғᴏʀ ɪɴsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɪɴɪᴛɪᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴜɪʟᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ʀᴇᴄᴏɴsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ʙʀɪᴄᴋs ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡᴀs ᴘᴀɪᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴘᴇʀ sᴇᴡᴀɢᴇ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ʀᴇᴄᴏɴsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴘʀᴏᴘᴇʀ sᴇᴡᴀɢᴇ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀɪsᴛɪᴄs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴅᴜs ᴠᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ.
ᴛʜᴇɴ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ғᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴠᴇʀᴀɢᴇ ʀᴀɪɴғᴀʟʟ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄɪᴛɪᴇs ʟᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ-ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜɪs ʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄʟɪɴᴇ ɪɴ ᴀɢʀɪᴄᴜʟᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴏɴ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴅᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴇᴘᴇɴᴅᴇɴᴛ. ᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs, ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴅᴜs ᴠᴀʟʟᴇʏ sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ sʜɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʟᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄʟɪɴᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ᴀs ᴘᴇʀ sᴏᴍᴇ sᴄʜᴏʟᴀʀs, ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀsᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄʟɪɴᴇ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʀsᴇ ᴏғ ʀɪᴠᴇʀ ɢʜᴀɢɢᴀʀ-ʜᴀʀᴋᴀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴀsᴇ ɪɴ ᴀʀɪᴅɪᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ. ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ 2000 ʙᴄ, ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ғᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴀsᴇ ɪɴ ᴀʀɪᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴs. ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴅᴜs ᴠᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪsᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ғʟᴏᴜʀɪsʜᴇᴅ ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ.
ᴍᴀɴʏ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀɪᴇs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ғᴏʀᴍᴜʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴏʀɪᴇs ᴍᴇᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏʀ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ғᴏʀᴍ ᴏғ ᴄʀɪᴛɪᴄɪsᴍ. ᴀʀᴄʜᴇᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ᴇᴠɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇs ᴅᴏ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏ sᴜᴅᴅᴇɴ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀᴘsᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴅᴜs ᴠᴀʟʟᴇʏ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴅᴇᴄʟɪɴᴇᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀ ᴘᴇʀɪᴏᴅ ᴏғ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴏᴛ ᴍɪɴɢʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄɪᴠɪʟɪᴢᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴇʀɪᴏᴅ.