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The '''Indus Valley Civilisation''' (also known as the '''Harappan Civilisation''') was a civilised society that flourished between 2600BC and 1900BC in what is now [[Pakistan]] and north-western [[India]], in the valley of the River [[Indus]]. It was characterised by highly developed urban life, particularly in the two main cities to have been excavated, [[Mohenjo-daro]] and [[Harappa]], and the port city of Lothal. The basis on which the cities could exist was agricultural surplus, and this was ensured by a widespread and advanced system of irrigation and land drainage.  

The '''Indus Valley Civilisation''' (also known as the '''Harappan Civilisation''') was a civilised society that flourished between 2600BC and 1900BC in what is now [[Pakistan]] and north-western [[India]], in the valley of the [[Indus River Valley|Indus River]]. It was characterised by highly developed urban life, particularly in the two main cities to have been excavated, [[Mohenjo-Daro]] and [[Harappa]], and the port city of Lothal. The basis on which the cities could exist was agricultural surplus, and this was ensured by a widespread and advanced system of irrigation and land drainage.  

It was the third literate urban civilisation - after those in [[Mesopotamia]] (from c. 3500 B.C.) and [[Egypt]] (c.3200B.C.) – and arose like its predecessors (and [[China]] over half a millennium later) as a result of the organisation required to meet a very similar set of challenges. All were in areas of low rainfall where a flood plain existed, bereft of all the requirements of settlement except for the annual renewal of fertility as the great rivers, fed by snow-melt and spring rains hundreds or even thousands of miles upstream spread their nutriment in time for summer planting. All were also within a practical proximity of regions where the building necessities of stone and/or timber and clay were plentiful, along with metals, summer grazing lands, and other necessities of a sophisticated urban culture.  

It was the third literate urban civilisation - after those in [[Mesopotamia]] (from c. 3500 B.C.) and [[Egypt]] (c.3200B.C.) – and arose like its predecessors (and [[China]] over half a millennium later) as a result of the organisation required to meet a very similar set of challenges. All were in areas of low rainfall where a flood plain existed, bereft of all the requirements of settlement except for the annual renewal of fertility as the great rivers, fed by snow-melt and spring rains hundreds or even thousands of miles upstream spread their nutriment in time for summer planting. All were also within a practical proximity of regions where the building necessities of stone and/or timber and clay were plentiful, along with metals, summer grazing lands, and other necessities of a sophisticated urban culture.