This is a high-return matching topic. Prepare it as site–river/state, site–feature, material–use, script–status, and trade–term. The most repeated anchors are Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Lothal, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi, Great Bath, reservoirs, seals, standardised bricks, bronze and the undeciphered script.
One-minute Overview
The Harappan Civilisation was a Bronze Age urban culture of north-western South Asia. In the standard chronology used in school history, its Mature phase is placed roughly at c. 2600–1900 BCE. Archaeology reveals carefully planned towns, drains, wells, craft production, weights, seals and long-distance exchange. The script on seals and other objects remains undeciphered, so claims about its language or political system must be avoided unless supported by evidence.
Safe Chronology for Prelims
Major Sites and Their Exam Clues
Site
Present location
High-value association
Harappa
Punjab, Pakistan; on the Ravi
Type-site; excavated in 1921 under Daya Ram Sahni
Mohenjo-daro
Sindh, Pakistan; on the Indus
Great Bath; excavations began in 1922 under R. D. Banerji
Dholavira
Khadir Bet, Kutch, Gujarat
Stone-built city, reservoirs, water management and three-part plan
Lothal
Gujarat
Basin conventionally identified as a dockyard; bead-making and trade links
Kalibangan
Rajasthan
Ploughed-field evidence; Harappan settlement
Rakhigarhi
Haryana
Major Harappan site in India
Chanhudaro
Sindh, Pakistan
Craft production, especially beads; no citadel is usually noted in textbook accounts
Urban Features and Correct Interpretation
Feature
What the evidence supports
Prelims trap
Bricks
Many mature Harappan towns used standard brick proportions, often stated as 1:2:4.
Do not call this a rule for every brick at every site.
Drainage
Many settlements show planned drains, wells and water-related structures.
Great Bath is at Mohenjo-daro, not Harappa.
Citadel and lower town
Many sites show differentiated sectors; layouts vary by site.
Dholavira is noted for three main divisions, not merely two.
Seals
Often rectangular and made of steatite; script and animal motifs occur.
Do not confuse them with coins; Harappan coins are not known.
Economy, Crafts and Trade
Harappan people cultivated crops including wheat and barley in many regions; cotton is an important textbook association. Archaeological finds include copper, bronze, gold, silver, shell, stone and faience objects. Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin. Beads, seals, weights, pottery and spindle whorls show specialised crafts. Mesopotamian records use the name Meluhha for a region widely associated with the Harappan sphere, a key trade-match question.
Material–Use Table
Material / object
Correct association
Trap to avoid
Bronze
Alloy of copper and tin; used for tools, vessels and objects
Not iron
Steatite seal
Common seal material; animal motif and short inscription may occur
Do not say every seal is made of bronze
Faience
Artificial/glazed material used for beads and ornaments