Post on 30-Dec-2015
Early Indian History
Indus River Valley Civilization
Vedic (Indo-Aryan) Civilization
Indus River Valley Civilization – 2000 BCE
Indus River Valley
The Indus River Silt-enriched water from mountains Cultivated cotton before 5000 BCE
Writing
Good News Literate culture
Bad News We can’t read it
Writing on bricks Similar to
cuneiform
Reasonable Generalizations
Developed rapidly Existed with Egypt and Mesopotamia Developed agriculture Domesticated animals Changed from village to city life
Mohenjo-Daro Ruins
Population roughly 40,000 Regional center
Layout and architecture suggests well-developed government
Broad streets, citadel, pool, sewage system Specialized labor (Artisans) Trade (Merchants)
Mohenjo-Daro : Aerial view
Citadel
The Great Bath
Well
Granary
TorsoMohenjo-Daro Third millennium BCE
The Aryan Invasion
Aryans, lighter-skinned invaders from the north Not to be confused with Hitler’s
“Aryans” These Aryans spoke a dialect,
related to Greek and Latin
The Aryans
Fond of: Fighting Drinking Chariot racing Gambling Chasing women Bragging about their
spears A psychedelic drug
called soma
Caste system Polytheistic
Basis for Hinduism
The Vedas
“Knowledge” Sanskrit Sacred, oral poetry
Rituals/Sacrifice Many Gods
Sacred Texts
Rig Veda 1028 hymns to Gods
Upanishads Epic, mystical poems Right & Wrong
Two Great Epics Mahabharata Ramayana
Vedic CivilizationSocial Status of Women
Equal access to learning
Right to speak in public Right to inherit property
Vedic CivilizationSocial Status of Women
Marriage was the main institution
Patriarchal family structure
Could choose husband Emphasis on reproduction
Vedic CivilizationSocial Status of Women
Eventually social status declined: Organized state Caste system Women barred from
religious ritual