Neolithic Period; Indus Valley/Early Harappan Period
ca. 9,000 to 1,000 BCE
• India: A Historical Overview [Asia Society]
Background reading about "the people and characteristics of India's historical eras, from the early Indus River Valley civilization, through the Mughal period to present day."
• South Asia, 8,000-2,000 B.C. [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
"South Asia is the center of one of the great ancient civilizations of the world—the Indus Valley/Harappan civilization in present-day Pakistan and northwestern India. Copper metallurgy, stone bead making, and seal carving develop in conjunction with the elaboration of ceramics, some decorated with an early form of writing." With a period overview, list of key events, and three related artworks.
Timeline • The Story of India: Beginnings [PBS]
Excellent annotated timeline with text, images, and video clips throughout.
Indus Valley/Harappan and Late Harappan/Vedic Periods
ca. 2,600 to 800 BCE
• South Asia, 2,000-1,000 B.C. [Timeline of Art History, The Metropolitan Museum of Art]
"As the culture of the great Indus Valley civilization declines, new languages and cultural orientations are introduced into South Asia by people migrating from the northwest." With a period overview, list of key events, and four related artworks.
• Ancient India: Indus Valley [The British Museum]
A unit on "the growth of civilization around the Indus Valley. Users can explore the ancient Indus Valley city of Mohenjo-Daro and look at some of the artefacts found by archaeologists from this excavation." Select the "Staff Room" link at left for a teacher's guide to this website and its contents.
• Indus Civilization Geography [Harappa.com]
An introduction to the major archaeological sites of the Indus Valley civilization. With maps and images.
The Indus Script
ca. 2,600 to 1,700 BCE
• Ancient India: Writing [The British Museum]
A unit on "the numerous scripts used in Ancient India. An 'epigraphy' activity allows users to investigate one of the undeciphered Indus scripts." Select the "Staff Room" link at left for a teacher's guide to this website and its contents.
Sculpture and Figurines
• Embodying Indus Life: Terra Cotta Figurines from Harappa [Harappa.com]
With more than 70 examples of anthropomorphic and terra-cotta figurines from Harappa and other Indus civilization archaeological sites. Text by Sharri R. Clark, Ph.D., Harvard University.
