🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Evidence suggests that rather than a single catastrophic event, Harappan urban decline occurred over several centuries.
The Mature Harappan phase declined after approximately 1900 BCE, marking the transition to the Late Harappan period. Archaeological evidence indicates depopulation of major cities such as Mohenjo-daro and Harappa. One widely discussed factor involves shifts in river systems, including changes to the Ghaggar-Hakra network. Geological and sediment studies suggest alterations in water availability. Urban centers that relied on predictable flooding faced increasing environmental instability. Material culture becomes less standardized during this period. Large-scale public construction diminished. Trade networks with Mesopotamia appear to have weakened. Urban contraction unfolded gradually rather than through sudden destruction.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Systemically, environmental change disrupted agricultural reliability and urban sustainability. Declining river flow reduced irrigation capacity. Administrative structures built around surplus management likely weakened. Standardization in bricks and weights declined across settlements. Long-distance trade became less coordinated. Urban infrastructure required maintenance that shrinking populations could not sustain. Environmental vulnerability exposed structural dependence on hydrology.
For residents, river shifts meant uncertainty in crop yields and water access. Families may have relocated toward more stable rural zones. Public spaces once maintained with civic order fell into disuse. The disappearance of uniform brick ratios signals fading centralized norms. Children born in the Late Harappan phase inherited smaller settlements. Civilization did not collapse in flames; it thinned. The river withdrew, and cities followed.
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