Early Harappan phase
Also called: Pre-Harappan phase · Topic: Harappan (Sindhu-Sarasvati) Civilisation · NCERT: Class 9, Ch 4 "Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation"; Class 12, Ch 1 "Bricks, Beads and Bones"
Meaning
The Early Harappan phase, also called the pre-Harappan phase, is the formative stage of the Harappan civilisation. NCERT dates it to c. 6000–2600 BCE. In this phase, people lived in farming villages and each region had its own pottery style. Many later Harappan features first appeared then. These include beads, shell bangles, copper work, perimeter walls, simple seals and graffiti on pottery that may lead to the script. Around 2600 BCE, these villages grew into towns and cities from within the region.
Example
Simple seals have been found at Harappa, Rehman Dheri and Kunal. Kunal is also an early bead-making site. At Kalibangan, a ploughed field from this phase has two sets of furrows crossing at right angles. This suggests two crops grown together.
Don't confuse with
- Late Harappan phase: The Late Harappan phase came after the cities, c. 1900–1300 BCE. It was a rural stage of decline. The Early Harappan phase came before the cities and built up towards them.