Indus Valley Civilization 2500 B.C.E.

Roots of Indus Valley Civilization Earliest civilizations in Indus Valley was discovered in 1856 by a railroad crew. Harappa Mohenjo-Daro or “Hill of the Dead” Both cities shared urban design and architectural features. 3 miles in circumference with populations of 40,000 The civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt never disappeared completely. Hebrew and Greek accounts and surviving artifacts, like the pyramids kept them alive in popular imagination. The civilization of the Indus valley was lost almost entirely, so its excavation did not begin until the 1920’s. Railroad crew in 1856 discovered thousands of old fire-baked bricks in the desert and use them to lay the road bed. Scattered among the old bricks workers discovered steatite stone seals marked with artistic designs.

Page: 92 Confined to the north and west by mountains, and to the east by desert, the Indus valley had by 2500 B.C.E. developed a sophisticated urban culture based on individual walled cities, sharing common patterns of urban design. In terms of geographical extent this civilization was the largest in the world in its time.

Roots of Indus Valley Civilization Roots of Indus Valley began as early as 7000 B.C.E. Possibly began as herders who moved into the river valley during colder months. Over time, they may have decided to farm – river-watered lands of the valley. They began trading by boat along the Indus down into the Arabian Sea, into the Persian Gulf, and up the Tigris and Euphrates into Mesopotamia. At first scholars thought the civilizations of the Indus Valley had developed the art of city building from the Sumerians and other people of Mesopotamia, but later scholars believed that Harappa had grown up independently. Written records, the key that re-opened the civilizations of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt are scarce in the Indus valley. The only written materials so far discovered are seal inscriptions that give only limited information. Scholars have not succeeded in their attempts to decipher the script. They differ substantially in their interpretations. As a result, our understanding is limited.

Carefully Planned Cities Originating around 2500 B.C.E. the thriving civilizations survived for around 500 years. Both Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, two of the largest among 500 sites, were three miles in circumference with around 40,000 people.

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa To the north is a citadel or raised area. In Mohenjo-Daro, the citadel is built on an architectural platform about 45 feet above the plain. On the summit was a huge communal bath. Next to the large bath was a huge open space—a granary where food was stored from possible floods. Fortified walls mark the southeast corner.

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa The lower city was laid out in a gridiron with the main streets about 45 feet wide. Private houses, almost every one with its own well, bathing space, and toilet consisting of a brick seat over a drainage area. Brick-lined drains flushed by water carried liquid and solid waste to sumps, where it was carted away, probably to fertilize nearby fields.

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa The town plan was regular. Even fire-baked bricks were uniform in size and shape. The regularity of plan and construction suggests a government with organization and bureaucratic capacity. No monumental architecture clearly marks the presence of a palace or temple. There is little sign of social stratification in the plan or buildings. The city of Harappa was vandalized for thousands of years before, as well as during the railroad constructions and few artifacts remain. Mohenjo-Daro was on a high water table, and any deeper excavation threatens to flood the site. It is impossible to dig down to the foundation level of the city. Further exploration of Mohenjo-Daro’s surface, however, continues to yield fascinating results. A recent survey revealed an outlying segment of Mohenjo Daro about a mile away from the known city. Was it part of an industrial area or a residential suburb?

India’s Vedic Age

Early Civilization Disappears Sometime before 1700 B.C.E. the Indus Valley people began to abandon their cities No one is sure of the causes Disease Loss of resources Climate change Foreign invasion

Enter: The Aryans By 1500 B.C.E Aryans had migrated into the Indus Valley through the Hindu Kush Nomadic warriors Mixed with local people Overtime people across India called themselves Aryans During the 2nd millennium BCE as Harappan society declined, bands of foreigners filtered into the Indian subcontinent and settled throughout the Indus valley and beyond. Most prominent were nomadic and pastoral peoples speaking Indo European languages who called themselves Aryans. Interchange between the resident Harappans and the invading Aryans produced new, hybrid cultural forms that we know primarily from the Aryan records. Ironically, these records are almost entirely literary and artistic. Reversing the Harappan pattern, the early Aryans have left a treasure of literature, but virtually no architectural or design artifacts.

The Vedas After settling in India the Aryans composed the Vedas Collection of hundred of sacred hymns Passed down by word of mouth in Sanskrit Rig Veda Best known Veda More than 1000 hymns Writing Began around 500 B.C.E.

Aryan Life Much of what we know about Aryan life comes from the Vedas Valued cattle Provided both food and clothing Measured wealth by the size of their herd Skilled warriors Two-wheeled chariots

Growth of Vedic Civilization Over time Aryan culture slowly spread into the Ganges Plain Initially organized by clans People who believe they share a common ancestor Later republics Made decisions in an assembly Eventually Kings

The Caste System Over time India developed a social structure based on caste A fixed social class into which a person is born Based on family occupation Brahmins- priests Kshatriyas- rulers and warriors Viashyas- landowners, bankers, merchants Sudras- Farmers, laborers, servants

The Development of a Patriarch Society Aryan Society had a strong patriarchal social order at the time of their migration into India. All priests, warriors and tribal chiefs were men. Women influenced affairs within their families but had no public authority. Women rarely learned the Vedas and were denied formal education. Sati, the practice of a wife sacrificing herself on her husband’s funeral pyre, was considered noble.

The foundations for Hinduism were established! The Vedic Age 1500 B.C.E. – 500 B.C.E. The foundations for Hinduism were established!

Religion in Vedic Age Brahmins in the Vedic age memorized the Vedas and passed them down through word of mouth During this time Brahmins were the only ones who were allowed to preform religious rituals (this gave Brahmins a lot of power)

The Evolution of Hinduism Around 500 B.C.E. Indians began to adapt to town and city life People no longer believed it was as important to carry out precise rituals People began to seek answers to difficult life questions and Hinduism evolved from the answers

Upanishads Answers to the new questions survive in the Upanishads Upanishads become Hindu holy scriptures alongside the Vedas

Upanishads Explain two basic beliefs of Hinduism 1. One supreme spiritual force, Brahman 2. Everyone is born with a soul

Epic Poems Epic= long story of a hero told in verse Ramayana and Mahabharata