Why does the civilisation studied in this chapter have several names? Discuss their significance.
The civilisation has several names based on different archaeological and geographical perspectives.
Harappan Civilisation is named after Harappa, the first site excavated in 1920-21.
Indus Valley Civilisation was used initially when only sites along the Indus River were known, but this term is now considered obsolete as sites have been discovered beyond the Indus Valley.
Indus-Sarasvatī or Sindhu-Sarasvatī Civilisation reflects the discovery of numerous sites along the now-seasonal Sarasvatī River (Ghaggar-Hakra), acknowledging the civilisation's broader geographical extent.
Each name represents different phases of archaeological understanding and highlights the importance of ongoing discoveries in shaping historical knowledge.
Explanation
The chapter explains in the 'Don't Miss Out' box that the inhabitants are called 'Harappans' because Harappa was the first site excavated. The 'Think About It' box on page 7 explains why 'Indus Valley' is obsolete. The chapter uses all terms interchangeably and notes that the Sarasvatī basin includes major cities like Rakhigarhi and Ganweriwala, with high density of sites in that region.
Solution Steps
The civilisation has several names based on different archaeological and geographical perspectives.
Harappan Civilisation is named after Harappa, the first site excavated in 1920-21.
Indus Valley Civilisation is now considered obsolete as sites have been discovered beyond the Indus Valley.
Indus-Sarasvatī or Sindhu-Sarasvatī Civilisation reflects sites discovered along the Sarasvatī River (Ghaggar-Hakra).
Each name represents different phases of archaeological understanding and ongoing discoveries.