Final answer:
The social hierarchy of the Indus Valley Civilization remains partly speculative due to the undeciphered script; however, it likely had a class system that included religious specialists at the top. This hierarchy might have evolved without a centralized state, instead as a collection of republic-like states with a more egalitarian structure than other contemporary societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Indus Valley Social Hierarchy
The Indus Valley Civilization was an advanced urban culture notable for cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Although detailed information about its social hierarchy is shrouded in mystery due to its undeciphered script, some insights can be gathered from its sophisticated urban planning and lack of palatial or monumental structures, which might suggest a more egalitarian society compared to contemporary civilizations.
Interestingly, the civilization didn't show many signs of a rigid social structure dominated by kings or a warrior class. Instead, evidence points towards an intensely hierarchical class system potentially presided over by religious specialists such as priests. This complex society might have operated without a powerful centralized state, possibly functioning as a series of small republic-like states.
The civilization's decline around 1700 BCE likely led to changes in the social structure, and subsequent cultures such as those in the Vedic period, developed a rigid caste system consisting of bahmins (priests), kshatriya (warriors), commoners (craftsmen and merchants), and shudras (servant class), with the untouchables or Dalits outside this hierarchy. This caste system entrenched social status based on birth and was perpetuated through religious and cultural norms.