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Early Civilizations of Ancient India

Early Civilizations of Ancient India. World History Libertyville High School. Geographic Considerations. World’s tallest mountains to North (Himalayas) Thar Desert to East Indus & Ganges Rivers Bounded large, 1,700 mile wide fertile plain

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Early Civilizations of Ancient India

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  1. Early Civilizations of Ancient India World History Libertyville High School

  2. Geographic Considerations • World’s tallest mountains to North (Himalayas) • Thar Desert to East • Indus & Ganges Rivers • Bounded large, 1,700 mile wide fertile plain • Rivers brought silt to river valleys and water for irrigation • Problems facing settlers? • River flooding • Monsoons

  3. Monsoons • Seasonal winds blowing across India • June – Sept: from sea to interior • Oct – May: from mnts to sea • Helped with growing seasons BUT were unpredictable, destructive • Wetter climate 6000 years ago – how do we know? • Seals of tropical animals • kiln fired bricks

  4. The Harappan Civilization • Man first arrived around 7000 BC • Cities suggest a highly centralized, organized government, society • 1400 towns, cities discovered (compare to Sumerians & Egyptians!!!) • Peaceful civilization 3300 BCE - 2400 BCE

  5. Harappan Cities • Had strong walls built around cities (Why?) • Cities laid out in grid pattern • Neighborhoods w/ walls around them • Wide streets • Excellent sewer system • Cities built with kiln fired bricks that were standardized by size, weight • If city destroyed, build over ruins Map of MohenjoDaro

  6. Aerial View of Mohenjo-Daro

  7. Wide View, Mohenjo-Daro

  8. The Great Bath, Mohenjo-Daro

  9. A side Street, Mohenjo-Daro

  10. Granary, Mohenjo-Daro

  11. Drain, Harappa

  12. Art & Technology • Historians believe that animals were important to civilization (so many depictions of them) • Written language was pictographic • We can’t translate it b/c we have no dual translation • Spoken language thought to be Dravidian, similar to that spoken in S. India, Sri Lanka • Metallurgy based on copper, bronze • Used wheel, boats w/ 1 mast Bull Figurine, Harappa

  13. Harappan Writing Undecipherable to date.

  14. Harappan Seals • Stone seals with animals carved on them • Carved from small block of light colored stone • After carving, surface glazed and fired • Uses : Student brainstorm!!! • Signatures? • Heraldry? • Show ownership • Carried on string; found in Mesopotamia Bison Seal, Mohenjo-Daro A Horned-God Seal

  15. Harappan Seals Unicorn Seal, Harappa Reverse of a harappan seal

  16. Other Harappan seals

  17. Harappan Religion • Unknown, because we can’t translate their writing • Assumed to be theocracy, polytheistic • Dead buried with tools, jewelry • Little overtly religious artwork A Priest-King, (front) A Priest-King, (back)

  18. Male Skeleton, Harappa

  19. Female Skeleton with Child, Harappa

  20. Burial Pottery, Harappa

  21. Trade • Gold and silver from Afghanistan • Gems from Persia were made into jewelry by Harappans • Indus river served as a highway • Harappans grew cotton and exported the cloth • Traded extensively with Mesopotamia, Egyptians

  22. Necklace, Mohenjo-Daro

  23. Female Figures, Harappa

  24. Two theories to End of Harappan civilization • Invasion by Aryans, c. 1750 bc • Indo European people migrating into India from Caucasus mountains • Nomadic warriors • Used chariots • Cultures fused following conquest • Brought own religion (primitive form of Hinduism) • Aryans in later history

  25. Indo European “language tree” • Language originated in Caucasus Mnts • Closely related to Iranian

  26. 2 theories to End of Harappan civilization • Massive geological event • Earthquake caused change in Indus river’s course • Change in river’s course would kill off cities and cause their abandonment • Indian nationalists prefer this theory (why?)

  27. The Vedic Age (1500 BCE - 500 BCE)

  28. Vedic culture & language • Vedic = fusion of Aryan and Harappan cultures • Vedes believed to be pastoral agriculturalists • Depended on cattle and farming • Cows held in high esteem (productivity in vegetarian society) • Sanskrit emerged • Language of religion, intellectuals • Example: the Vedas Sanskrit writing

  29. The Vedas • Written between 1200 & 600 BCE. • Religious texts representing oldest of Hindu beliefs • Included: • hymns and poems • religious prayers • magical spells • lists of the gods and • goddesses Rig Veda oldest work still used in active religion today

  30. Varna (Social Hierarchy) Priests Brahmins Rulers Kshatriyas Traders Vaishyas Laborers Shudras Outcasts Harijan(Untouchables)

  31. During The Vedic Age The foundations for Hinduism were established!

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