Indus Valley civilisation, as the name suggests, grew near the banks of river Indus. In fact, it is from the Indus, that the name India came into existence. The civilisation began as villages were established near the river banks (present day India and Pakistan). Some historians also believe that the civilisation grew between two rivers – Indus and Sarasvati (which no longer exists now).
One of the fascinating aspects of Indus Valley civilisation was its big city culture. In the 20th century, when archaeologists discovered two major ancient cities buried under the surface of earth – Harappa and Mohenjo Daro – it led to the conclusion that the entire civilisation was highly organised and the cities were well planned.
The civilisation saw its peak from 3000 BC to 2000 BC, after which it began to decline and ultimately disappeared around 1500 BC. The causes of its decline remain uncertain; some theories suggest that it could be because of the drying of the river or droughts; while others suggest that it was somehow connected with the arrival of Aryans.
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