Droughts Doomed the Indus Civilization > 공지사항

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A new study sheds light on why the Indus River Valley Civilization — including Harappa — declined around 3000–1000 B.C. Researchers used paleoclimate data and modelling to reconstruct ancient conditions. They found four prolonged droughts, each lasting more than 85 years, between about 2425 and 1400 B.C. that reduced rainfall by 10–20%, raised temperatures ~0.5 °C, dried rivers and soils, and disrupted agriculture and trade. The decline was not sudden or violent — there is little archaeological evidence of warfare or upheaval. Instead, repeated environmental stress gradually forced populations to relocate closer to water, change crops, and abandon major urban centers. The findings show that climate-driven water scarcity, over centuries, can erode even advanced societies — offering a warning for modern regions vulnerable to prolonged droughts and shifting rainfall patterns. (Washington Post, November 28, 2025)

New clues reveal what happened to the Indus River Valley civilization - The Washington Post