Indus River Valley Global History I: Spiconardi

Geography & It’s Impact Location: Northernmost part of the Indian subcontinent & modern day Pakistan

Geography & It’s Impact The Monsoons Seasonal winds in the winter and summer. If easterly winter winds prevailed, then there was drought If westerly summer winds prevailed, then there was severe flooding

Monsoons

Geography & It’s Impact Geographic Isolation The Indus River runs between the Himalayan and Hindu Kush mountains The mountain ranges often limited contact with other cultures Protected Harappan civilization from invasion (until Aryans in 1500 B.C.E.)

Planned Cities on the Indus Planned urban centers of Mohenjo-Daro & Harappa Cities laid out on a grid (Like Manhattan above 14 th Street) Both cities’ blocks, structures, and buildings were almost identical What does this suggest?

Mohenjo-Daro

Harappa

Planned Cities on the Indus Layout of Harappa & Mohenjo-Daro Homes At least two stories All had a courtyard with a balcony Most had a small well and bathtub Water In Mohenjo-Daro a basin known as the Great Bath was built Running water Shows emphasis on cleanliness & purification

Achievements & Contributions Sewers & baths Almost every home had a small bathroom Drainage in the streets to clear waste

Achievements & Contributions First to weave cotton Used bricks to build structures Mud bricks Wood bricks

Interesting Tidbit Archaeologists have uncovered more TOYS than WEAPONS in their excavations of Harappan cultures.

Aryan Invasion Aryans  nomads who most likely originated in modern Iran Eventually many Aryan tribes settled in the Indus Valley forgoing their nomadic ways

Aryan Invasion Religion Not much is known about Indus religion Seals that cannot be deciphered suggest a polytheistic & nature worshipping religion Under Aryans, the religion is mixed with the Aryan and Indus beliefs and Hinduism forms over a period of time

Aryan Invasion The Vedic Period (1900 – 500 BCE) The Vedas  books in which Aryans record their beliefs Development of a caste system Emerged to subjugate the native people of India to Aryan rule Term Aryan comes from the Sanskrit word “Arya,” which means “noble”