India Valley Civilisation

INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

Around 2500 BC.

India valley civilization sometimes referred as a harrapa civilization.

Major river hakra.

Earliest know civilisation in South Asia.

Cities were designed in grid iron pattern, complex drainage and sewage system.

The 1st to cultivate cotton.

Huge cooperative graineries found in the city.

CITY

* Harrapa - one of the major city measuring 3           miles across.

* Mohenjo-Daro- The largest settlement (35000)      people .

                    Mohanjodaro Arial view

* Large public bath are excavated in the city.

TRANSPORTATION 

* Cattle were used as transportation medium to       transport loaded grains and crops.

*  In addition goods such as ivory, wood, animals,      copper, stone exported to other part, persia ,          india, afganistan and mesopotamia.

WRITING/LITERATURE

* Pictographical seal found but not translated yet.

* Accurate consistent of weight and scale for           balance and seal were made of cube of stone.

ART AND CRAFT

*The main creation of india valley artisan are            small seals inscribed with picture of animal and     pictographical character.

* Seal were made from marble and astabestus.

* Seal were used to impression on wet clay as a mark of ownership.

* People used to make a strong vessels and container.

* Jewellery were made from copper , silver, gold, bronze and iron.

* Many dia made were made for a gambling and games.

ARCHITECTURE

* City were made in grid iron pattern.

* Plan with some large public building and small       building.

* Building were made of mud and bricks.

* Wall were sometimes coated with plaster.

* There was a complicated drainage and sewage     system through out the city.

City had two section

1. Religious

2. Government

Which was surrounded by wall

* Government building always being on the higher mound to the west of residential section.

* A huge grainery at the center of City. 

* A public bath tubs 20x40 ft pool made watertight by a double floor with the layer of bitumen between the two layer of bricks .

* House were build in zigzag line possibly to block wind.

* Other houses were large, some with double stories.

* They had no window opening to the street , all opening to the inner courtyard.

* Bath and latrine individually included with water coming from well.

* No decoration on wall in public building.

RELIGION

* The INDUS valley people probably worshipped a fertility goddess.

* Reprented byany small statue found in excavation.

* The dead body were burried in wooden coffin , pottery bowls and jar were placed with coffin with them.

Basic component of building

1.FOUNDATION

A foundation is necessary to evenly distribute the entire building load on the soil in such a manner that no damaging settlements take place. Hence, the foundations need to be constructed on good/solid ground.

2. PLINTH

A plinth is normally constructed just above the ground level and immediately after the foundation. It raises the floor above the ground level and herewith prevents surface water from entering the building.

3. DAMP PROOF COURSE (DPC)

Damp proof course is a layer of water proofing material such as asphalt or waterproof cement. Walls are constructed above the damp proof course.

Damp proof course prevents surface water from rising into the walls.

Dampness reduces the strength of the walls and creates unhealthy living conditions. Also it affects the paint and plaster and increasing the cost of maintenance.

Damp proofing layer is not required where a plinth beam is constructed, because the plinth beam already performs like a DPC.

4. PLINTH BEAM

A plinth beam is constructed depending upon the type of the structure of the building and nature of the soil. It provides additional stability in regard to settlements of the building and earthquake damages.

5. FLOOR

This is the surface on which we do most of our activities. Floorings is laid over the filling of the plinth and on subsequent floors.

Flooring can be done with different materials, but care must be given that the ground below the floor is well compacted. Flooring is done to prevent dampness from rising to the top and to have a firm platform that can be kept hygienic and clean.

6. WALLS

Walls are the vertical elements on which the roof finally rests. They can be made of different materials like bricks, stones, mud, concrete blocks, lateritic blocks etc. If the walls are very long, columns can be provided to carry the roof.

Walls provide privacy and enclosure. Walls also provide security and protection against natural elements such as wind, rain and sunshine.

Openings are to be provided in wall for access and ventilation.

7. OPENINGS

Openings are normally provided in the walls as door, windows and ventilators.

Doors provide access; windows and ventilators provide light and ventilation.

Lintels are constructed just above the openings. It is normally a stone slab or a concrete slab.

Sill is the part of the wall that is just below the window.

Lintels are constructed to hold up the walls above the openings. In earthquake prone areas a continuous lintel beam is provided all over the walls.

8. STAIRS

A stair is a sequence of steps and it is provided to afford the means of ascent and descent between the floors and landings.

The apartment or room of a building in which stair is located is called staircase. The space or opening occupied by the stair is called a stairway.

There are different kind of stairs are used in buildings, like RCC stair, wooden stair, metal stair, brick stair etc.

Slabless staircase

9. ROOF

The roof provides protection for the building and the people living in it. The roof rests on the walls and requires proper anchoring so that wind and other mechanical impact cannot destroy it. A roof can have different shapes but it is always either flat or sloping.

Roof is typically made of RCC, stone slab, tiles etc.

10. SURFACES / FINISHES

External finishes are the outer most layer of protection, which protect the structure from weathering. Internal finishes are the layers given on internal faces. They give durability and pleasing appearance to the inside.

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