The Indus Civilisation (also called the Harappan Civilisation) flourished from about 3300 to 1900 BCE in South Asia. It belongs to the Bronze Age and was mainly urban in nature. It is among the oldest civilisations in the world and the largest of the four ancient civilisations. Like the others, it grew up near rivers, along their banks.
1. Ancient World Civilisations – Timeline
| Civilisation | Period |
|---|---|
| Mesopotamian | 3500 to 2000 BCE |
| Indus | 3300 to 1900 BCE |
| Egyptian | 3100 to 1100 BCE |
| Chinese | 1700 to 1122 BCE |
People first lived in groups, then formed communities, then societies, which in due course became civilisations. The word 'civilisation' comes from the Latin word civis, meaning 'city'.