Decline of Indus Valley Civilization

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The Indus Valley civilization entered its phase of decline in the second millennium B.C. and almost completely disintegrated about 1500 B.C. It is a very strange and striking that a mature and well developed civilization should have declined.

At Mohenjo-daro the archaeologists have noticed progressive deterioration in the construction of buildings nearer the surface. These were positively inferior to the type of buildings found in the lower layers erected earlier.

This indicates a decline in the fortunes of the city-a feature which can be partly explained in terms of annual Indus floods. The second factor accounting for the decline is the deforestation of the area owing to the continuous consumption of timber, over a long period of time, for the purpose of house building.

Mohenjo-daro was thus wearing out its landscape. Over the years it was dying long before the final blow.

That final blow came in the form of external attack by by the nomad Aryans between whom and the people of the Valley ensued a long and fierce struggle. This is further suggested by the group of huddled human skeletons discovered at Mohenjo-daro.

The new and more vigorous force represented by the Aryans won in the end over the age-old and culturally fast deteriorating force of Indus Valley.

There are further speculations that an earthquake might have caused it destruction or the Indus could have changed its course, rendering it unfertile.

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Tags: battle of harappa, Decline, earthquake, harappa, indus valley civilization, Mohenjodaro