AIM: What have archeologists discovered about the early cities of the Indus River valley? Do Now: What is archeology? Why is it important in studying history? HW: Choose three objects that if found by archeologists would describe who you are. Draw these objects and explain why you chose them.

Chapter 3: Ancient Indian Civilizations Harappan Excavations

Section 1: Indus River Valley Civilization The Story Continues Thousands of years ago near the Indus River valley there existed a village called Amri, whose citizens were makers of fine pottery. Indus River valley people like those in Amri helped lay the foundation for cultures in the modern countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

I. Geography and Climate Indian civilization developed in the Indus River valley about 4,500 years ago

A. Physical Geography The Indian subcontinent extends south from central Asia into the Indian Ocean

A. Physical Geography High mountain ranges cut India off from immigrants and invaders

A. Physical Geography Two great rivers - the Ganges and Indus – rise in the mountains and drain Indo-Gangetic Plain

A. Physical Geography South of the I-G Plain is the Deccan Plateau, bordered by the Eastern and Western Ghats

A. Physical Geography Narrow coastal plains lie along the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal

A. Physical Geography The peoples of these coastal plains became sea traders

B. Climate Two features dominate India’s climate: monsoons and high temperatures

B. Climate Monsoons - seasonal winds that blow from the NE Nov. to Mar. and from the SW June to Oct.

B. Climate The NE (dry) monsoon drops moisture on the Himalayas before reaching India

B. Climate The SW (wet) monsoon carries warm, moist air from the Indian Ocean and brings heavy rains

B. Climate The wet monsoon brings most of the year’s rainfall and is important for agriculture 20cm = 7.9in 100cm = 39.4in 400cm = 13.2ft 800cm = 26.3ft 1000cm = 32.8ft

B. Climate If the wet monsoon arrives late or brings little rain, crops fail; too much rain, flooding destroys the countryside

B. Climate Temperatures can reach 120ºF in the Indo- Gangetic Plain Aurangabad, India 15 C = 59 F 30 C = 86 F 45 C = 113 F

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley 2500 BC to 1500 BC – the Harappan Civilization developed in the Indus River valley An artistic conception of ancient Lothal

Discovery of Indus River Civilization For thousands of years this civilization was lost to the world. However beginning in the middle of the 1800s and picking up speed in the 1920s were the discovery that India did have a major ancient civilization. What did one of the first archeologists think when he visitied

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley The named derives from one of the two discovered cities - Harappa and Mohenjo Daro ("Mound of the Dead“) Early settlements date to 7000 BC

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley Both cities were planned with wide streets, water systems, public baths, and brick sewers Ruins of Harappa

This map shows the layout of Mohenjo-Daro, one of the principal cities of the Indus Valley civilization. The larger eastern area contained the residential and commercial sections of the city, which were laid out in a grid of large rectangular blocks. Rising more than twenty feet to the west stood the citadel, built on a mound of mud brick and rubble. Fortified by a brick wall and towers, the citadel contained the city’s shrine, assembly hall, baths, and granary.

Directions You will break into small groups When you get to your station you will read the placard and try to answer the question on your worksheet Then read the section in History Alive and answer what archeologists believe the answer is Lastly complete the picture on the worksheet

The Great Bath was entered using two wide staircases, one from the north and one from the south. The floor of the tank is watertight due to finely fitted bricks laid on edge with gypsum plaster.

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley Each city had a strong central fortress, or citadel, on a brick platform Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley Storehouses for grain indicate careful planning and a strong central government Harappa granary

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley Harappan farmers grew crops in irrigated fields and raised livestock Ceramic sculpture of a small cart with vases and tools pulled by oxen, from Mohenjo-daro

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley As early as 2300 B.C., the Harappans traded with the people of the Tigris-Euphrates valley This seal, found in Mesopotamia, indicates a product was made in Harappa, indicating trade took place between the two regions

Indus Valley Seals

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley A written language was developed but it has not been deciphered or connected to other languages

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley No temples or religious writings have been found, just animal images and some evidence of a mother goddess of fertility

Terracotta Figurines

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley The Harappan civilization disappeared - theories include changes in the Indus River, earthquakes, or invasion

II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley Harappan Excavations A Walk through Mohenjo-Daro A Walk around Harappa

Over 1500 sites, the largest of the ancient civilizations

Weights and Measures What does this tell us about their daily life? ( Economy etc) The people of the Indus River civ. Had a set of weights and measures, and they must have had some math system Grain may have been used as money

The Great Bath Is this religious? What were their beliefs? A large pool of water which may have been used as a bathing area. It had a drain for taking away dirty water This may have been a predecessor of Hinduism because bathing is a large part of their beliefs

Jewelry What was their fashion? What did they look like? Wore jewelry and various types of robes or cloth Had many of the same types as the Egyptians and probably wore jewelry for the same reasons

Seals What is their language? Many seals with pictures and writings are found around Mohenjodaro. May have been charms- many of the seals have characters that resemble Hindu gods May have been seals pressed into wax in order to show ownership of things Seals show us that they traded with Mesopotamia because they have found the exact same seals there as in the IRV

Sewer System How did they keep themselves clean? What does this tell us about their standard of living? They tried to keep their city clean by moving waste away from the city and into the Indus River years will pass before another civilization will adopt the idea of a sewer system

Homes Does this tell us anything about a social class or how they lived? Homes were typically two stories tall Made out of mud brick Some were only one room, other buildings had multiple rooms The windows/buildings were oriented to catch the wind and creating a natural air conditioning

Games What do these games tell us about their standard of living? They had time for free time and entertainment because they were not busy trying to live like hunter/gatherers Chess was invented in India

Clay models Just like toys today, the clay figurines were probably played with by children, but shows the various technologies that they had at that time

Writing prompts-answer one of the first two, and the third If the Indus River Civilization did not disapper, which achievement/s do you think would have had the greatest impact on later societies? In what ways is Mohenjodaro like a modern city? Unlike a modern city? What questions do you still have about life in the Indus River Civilization?