1. Indus River Valley Civilization

2. Maps

3. Geographic/ Environmental Conditions
unpredictable rivers
(similar situation to Mesopotamian region)
strong winds / monsoons

4. Early Settlements
Inhabitants began farming along Indus about 3,200 B.C.
Size of settled region larger than Egypt or Mesopotamia

5. Settlements begin to grow!
The Indus Valley civilization flourished around 2,500 B.C.
Located in western part of South Asia (modern day Pakistan and western India)

6. Early Cities The early inhabitants were extremely good city planners!!
1920s archaeologists found remains of cities at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
Two cities were carefully planned!
Grid system
Wide streets
Citadels
Assembly Halls
Public Baths
Plumbing and Sewage systems!

7. Lost Civilization
This ancient civilization was not discovered until the 1920's.
Most of its ruins, including major cities, remain to be excavated.

8. Images
Left: The excavated ruins of Mohenjodaro – one of several planned cities laid out on a grid system in the Indus region.
Right: The citadel at Mohenjodaro.

9. Early Society
Homes were more or less equal in size indicating few class divisions
Few weapons excavated revealing that the society was not warlike

10. Daily Life Based on excavations we know that the Harappans…
-believed in many gods!
-respected nature
- farmers grew grain (first to grow cotton)
- domesticated animals!

11. Artisans Worked with copper, bronze and gold
Had a system of weights and measures for weighing grain and gold
Baked bricks in ovens and make pottery

12. Indus Valley Seals
Merchants used stone or clay seals to mark goods and sign contracts
Seals combined carved animal design and few picture symbols
Over 3,500 seals have been found so far
Only example of writing found
Undecipherable at this point

13. Seals found in Sumer! Seals have been found in Mesopotamia!
Indicates that the Indus people built ports and were trading with other societies in the ancient world!

14. Decline
After 1,000 years of prosperity, the Indus Valley Civilization began to collapse….
Cities were abandoned
Trade Slowed
Law and Order broke down
What was the primary reason for the decline of the Indus civilization?

15. Reasons for the Demise?
Scholars can only speculate on the causes of the decline of Harappan civilization
As a result several theories have emerged regarding the decline of this civilization!

16. Climate? Resources?
Some scholars argue either climate change or overuse of resources were responsible.
The river may have changed course
The rivers could have flooded excessively
The people may have overworked the land
overcutting trees
overgrazing the land
over farmed land (stripping it of nutrients)

17. Aryan Invasion?
Others suggest it was destroyed by invading Aryans who roamed across the upper Indus about 1800 BC

18. The Caucasus Region
The Aryans probably came from the plains of Central Asia and crossed into South Asian by way of mountain passes
The Aryans originated from the Caucasus Region (consisting of modern-day Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan)

20. Who were they? The Aryans were semi-nomadic warriors.
They built no cities and possessed no art, architecture, or written language
They were warlike nomads who measured their wealth through livestock
They came to India in search of land and animals

21. How were they so different?
They were very different from the Harappans!
They had a horse culture, were warriors, and two-wheeled chariots
They enjoyed chariot racing, hunting with a bow and arrow, gambling and fighting.
They were ruled by authoritarian males (each tribe was ruled by a king who reported to a tribal council)

22. Why is there uncertainty?
Because the Aryans had no written language there are no written records of the invasion
The only evidence that we have comes from the VEDAS
composed in India between about 1500 and 1000 BCE
collection of hymns and other religious texts
most important part is called the Rig-Veda (contains 1,028 Sanskrit hymns)

23. Vedas
6-12 mins

24. Question
How did the Aryans change the Indus River Valley cultures?

25. Do Now:
Take a handout and address the question in your groups.

26. Aryan Social Class System
The Vedic Aryans were originally a semi-nomadic and non-urban people
Society was organized into families and tribes where the power was concentrated in the hands of men
Rajah - chief
Warrior-nobles
Priests
Commoners
Dasas (original inhabitants of the Indus River Valley)

27. Aryan Beliefs
“The Brahmin was his mouth, his two arms were made the Rajanya [Kshatriya, king and warrior], his two thighs [loins] the Vaishya, from his feet the Sudra [servile class] was born.”
What does this quote tell us about the social class system?
Source: Bayly, Susan. Caste, Society and Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age. New York: Cambridge UP, Print.

28. Caste System = Varna
Over a long period of evolution, however, a more complex and rigid fourfold class or caste system (Varna) developed, and it was more or less in place by the 7th century BC:
the Brahman (priestly) class
the Kshatriya [=kuh-SHA-tree-yuhz] (warrior/noble) class
the Vaishya [=VYSH-huhx] (commoner/herdsmen/tradesman) class
the Shudra [SHOO-drah] (peasant/servant) class.

29. Discuss!
How did the caste system impact this society? (What were some potential pros and cons?)

30. How does this impact India today?