Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) study suggests Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) is 8,000 years old

Key facts

• Researchers from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and collaborating institutions have found evidence suggesting the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) may be approximately 8,000 years old.
• The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, utilised radiocarbon dating on pottery fragments and animal remains from the Bhirrana site in northern India.
• The findings indicate that the roots of the IVC may stretch back further than the first Egyptian pharaohs and the Mesopotamian civilisation.
• At its peak, the IVC supported a population of over five million people and covered a territory extending from the Arabian Sea to the Ganges basin.
• Urban planning features identified at sites like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa include grid-pattern streets, covered drainage systems, and houses with access to wells and bathing areas.
• The civilisation demonstrated complex economic organisation through the use of standardised stone weights, copper and bronze tools, and dockyards.
• Evidence suggests the IVC adapted to weakening monsoon patterns by shifting from water-intensive wheat and barley to drought-resistant crops such as millets and rice.
• The IVC script found on intricately carved seals remains undeciphered despite decades of research.