Late Harappan culture

A study of the settlement pattern of the Harappan and Late Harappan sites in the Bahawalpur area also indicates a trend of decay. Along the banks of the Hakra river the number of settlements came down to 50 in the Late Harappan period from 174 in the Mature Harappan period. What seems likely is that in the last two-three hundred years of their life, the settlements in the core region of the Harappan civilization were declining. The population seems to have either perished or moved away to other areas. Whereas the number of sites in the triangle of Harappa, Bahawalpur and Mohenjodaro declined, the number of settlements in the outlying areas of Gujarat, East Punjab, Haryana and upper Doab increased. This indicates a phenomenal increase in the number of people in these areas. This sudden increase in the population of these regions can be explained by the emigration of people from the core regions of Harappa.

In the outlying regions of the Harappan civilization, i.e. the areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab people continued to live. But life had changed for them. Some of the important features associated with the Harappan civilization— writing, uniform weights, Harappan pottery and architectural style had disappeared.

The abandonment of the cities of the Indus is roughly dated to about 1800 BCE. This date is supported by the fact that the Mesopotamian literature stops referring to Meluhha by the end of 1900 BCE. However, even now, the chronology of the end of Harappan cities remains tentative. We do not as yet know whether the major settlements were abandoned at one and the same time or at different periods. What is certain, however, is the fact the abandonment of the major cities and the de-urbanization of other settlements indicate the decline of the Harappan civilization.

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