Harappan (Indus Valley) Civilisation: Origins, Features and Decline — Part 7: Glossary

Glossary

1. Harappan Civilisation: The Bronze Age civilisation of the Indus and Sarasvati river basins (c. 2600-1900 BCE), characterised by planned cities, standardised weights and bricks, and an undeciphered script.
2. Mature Harappan: The peak urban phase (2600-1900 BCE) marked by large planned cities, long-distance maritime trade, craft specialisation, and an extensive drainage system.
3. Citadel: The elevated, fortified western section of a Harappan city — typically housing public structures such as the Great Bath and warehouse at Mohenjodaro.
4. Great Bath: A large, watertight rectangular tank (approximately 12 x 7 m) on the Citadel at Mohenjodaro, built with gypsum mortar and interpreted as a structure for ritual bathing.
5. Pashupati Seal: A Harappan seal depicting a three-faced, cross-legged figure surrounded by animals, interpreted as an early representation of the deity Shiva as Lord of Animals.
6. Steatite: A soft stone (soapstone) used to make Harappan seals; it was easy to carve when soft and hardened after firing.
7. Faience: A material made of ground sand or silica mixed with colour and a gum and then fired; used for decorative Harappan objects such as miniature pots and beads.
8. Meluhha: The name used in Mesopotamian texts of the third millennium BCE for the Harappan region; Mesopotamian texts record trade in carnelian, lapis lazuli, copper, gold, and wood from Meluhha.
9. Sarasvati (Ghaggar-Hakra) River: An ancient river, now largely dry or seasonal, along whose banks a large proportion of Harappan settlements were located; its drying up is considered a major factor in the decline.
10. Archaeogenetics: The study of the DNA of ancient populations; the 2019 Rakhigarhi study used archaeogenetics to establish the indigenous continuity of the Harappan people and rule out large-scale immigration.
11. Proto-Shiva: The interpretation of the Pashupati Seal figure as an early form of the Hindu deity Shiva — a widely cited but debated scholarly interpretation.
12. Sealing: A clay impression made by pressing a seal onto wet clay affixed to a knotted rope on a package of goods; sealings certified the identity of the sender and the integrity of the consignment.