The Harappan (Indus Valley) Civilization, one of the world's earliest urban civilizations, was first discovered through excavations at Harappa (1921, by Daya Ram Sahni) and Mohenjodaro (1922, by R.D. Banerji) — the civilization is conventionally divided into Early, Mature (c. 2600-1900 BCE, its greatest urban development), and Late Harappan phases.

• ›The civilization's discovery significantly predated independence and was initially studied under British colonial archaeological administration
• ›Recognizing the Mature phase's approximate dating situates this civilization as contemporaneous with (and trading with) Mesopotamia