World History Libertyville High School 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 – Rivers brought silt to river valleys and water for irrigation Problems facing settlers? – River flooding – Monsoons

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

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

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 Mohenjo Daro

Aerial View of Mohenjo-Daro

Wide View, Mohenjo-Daro

The Great Bath, Mohenjo-Daro

A side Street, Mohenjo-Daro

Granary, Mohenjo-Daro

Drain, Harappa

Bull Figurine, Harappa 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

Harappan Writing Undecipherable to date.

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

Harappan Seals Unicorn Seal, HarappaReverse of a harappan seal

Other Harappan seals

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)

Male Skeleton, Harappa

Female Skeleton with Child, Harappa

Burial Pottery, Harappa

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

Necklace, Mohenjo-Daro

Female Figures, Harappa

Two theories to End of Harappan civilization Invasion by Aryans, c 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

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

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?)

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

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

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

During The Vedic Age The foundations for Hinduism were established!