🏺 History – Autumn 2

Exploring the Indus Valley Civilisation

Welcome back to our History Vlog! During Autumn 2, Year 6 have taken a fascinating journey back over 5,000 years to explore the incredible Indus Valley Civilisation. The children have absolutely loved comparing this newly‑studied civilisation with the Ancient Maya, Ancient Greeks and Ancient Egyptians from their previous years at St Michael’s Academy. Their enthusiasm has been warming, their curiosity impressive, and the fun we’ve had discovering this ancient world has certainly made this unit a memorable one.

📸 Pictures to follow shortly — watch this space!

🌍 Where and When Did the Civilisation Exist?

The Indus Valley civilisation existed from around 3300–1500 BC, making it one of the earliest complex societies in human history. Its cities were located along the Indus River and its tributaries, spreading across what is now Pakistan and northwest India. The children were amazed by how sophisticated these settlements were — with straight streets, drainage systems, public baths and granaries — all designed thousands of years before many other civilisations developed similar ideas.

🧱 A Lost Civilisation Rediscovered

One of the most captivating parts of our learning was how the ruins of the Indus Valley lay undiscovered for centuries.

• In 1826, explorer Charles Masson stumbled across mysterious mounds of bricks near Harappa. These mounds were later recognised as the remains of an ancient city.
• Then in 1856, workers constructing the Great Indian Railway found thousands of old bricks — without realising they belonged to the destroyed buildings of the Indus civilisation. These discoveries played a crucial role in revealing one of the world’s great lost civilisations.

The children were fascinated by the idea that such vast ancient cities could be hidden in plain sight and only recognised long after.

🐘 The Mystery of the Indus Seals

A highlight of our study was exploring the thousands of soapstone seals found across the Indus Valley. These tiny yet detailed artefacts show:

• animals
• symbols
• gods
• people

Historians believe they may have been used to stamp onto clay to label goods, possibly for trade. Year 6 enjoyed comparing these seals to hieroglyphs from Egypt and Maya glyphs, making excellent links to their previous learning and noticing how all ancient societies had their own unique ways of recording information.

🌊 Why Did the Indus Civilisation Decline?

Although no one knows for certain why the civilisation declined, one leading theory is closely connected to the Ghaggar‑Hakra River.

Today, this river flows only during the monsoon season, but evidence suggests it once ran strongly through the heart of the Indus settlements. Around 2000 BC, the river is thought to have dried up, making farming and trade extremely difficult. The children discussed how environmental changes like this have the power to affect entire societies — a powerful link to modern geography and climate studies.

⭐ A Wonderful Term of Historical Discovery

The children’s engagement throughout this unit has been fantastic. They asked thoughtful questions, made excellent comparisons with earlier civilisations, and showed real enjoyment as they uncovered the history of this ancient world. Their enthusiasm has made Autumn 2 a term full of curiosity, discovery and memorable learning.

📷 Look out for photos of our work and activities coming soon!