1. Indus Valley Harappa Mohenjo-Daro
Harappans
Indus Valley
Harappa
Mohenjo-Daro

2. Geography

3. Geographical Features
Subcontinent—large landmass smaller than a continent
Himalayas—large mountain range to the north
Indus River (now in Pakistan)
Ganges River
Monsoons—seasonal wind patterns that bring up to 200 inches of rain!

4. Indus Valley
The Harappan culture existed along the Indus River in what is present day Pakistan.
It was named after the city of Harappa. Harappa and the city of Mohenjo-Daro were important centers of the Indus valley civilization.
This Indus Valley “civilization” flourished around B.C.

5. Old World Civilizations

6. Comparative Timeline

7. Middle Harappan-Integration Era 2600-1900 BC
By 2500 BCE, communities had been turned into urban centers (integration).
Six such urban centers have been discovered, including: Harappa, Mohenjo Daro and Dicki in Pakistan, along with Gonorreala, Dokalingam and Mangalore in India.
Irrigation used to increase crop production and mud brick structures.

8. Natural Resources
The Indus Valley contained numerous natural resources that were an important part of Harappan civilization.
Resources included:
Fresh water and timber.
Materials such as gold, silver, semi-precious stones.
Marine resources.

9. Himalayan Mountains
These mountain ranges also provided important timber, animal products, and minerals, gold, silver, tin and semiprecious stones that were traded throughout the Indus Valley. They also provided protection from invaders.

10. Major Cities: Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa
The cities are well known for their impressive, organized and regular layout.
They have well laid our plumbing and drainage system, including indoor toilets.
Over one thousand other towns and villages also existed in this region.

11. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

12. Cities
The similarities in plan and construction between Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa indicate that they were part of a unified government with extreme organization.
Both cities were constructed of the same type and shape of bricks.
The two cities may have existed simultaneously and their sizes suggest that they served as capitals of their provinces.
In contrast to other civilizations, burials found from these cities are not elaborate; they are more simplistic and contain few material goods.
Remains of palaces or temples in the cities have not been found.
No hard evidence exists indicating military activity, though the cities did contain fortifications and artifacts such as copper and bronze knives, spears, and arrowheads were recovered.

13. Mohenjo-Daro
This shows the high western mound made up of a massive mud brick platform and brick houses of the Harappan period ( 2600 to 1900 B. C.).
On top of the Harappan structures is a Buddhist period stupa made of mud brick that dates to the first century A.D.

14. Great Bath

15. Streets
At Mohenjo-Daro narrow streets and alleyways are off of the major streets, leading into more private neighborhoods.
Many of the brick houses were two stories high, with thick walls and high ceilings to keep the rooms cool in the hot summer months.

16. Wells
Private wells were rebuilt over many generations for large households and neighborhoods.
This well in DK G area at Mohenjo-daro stands like a chimney because all of the surrounding earth has been removed by excavation.

17. The origins of Indus writing
The origins of Indus writing can now be traced to (c BC) at Harappa.
Some inscriptions were made on the bottom of the pottery.

18. Ancient Indus

19. Economy Cubical weights in graduated sizes.
These weights conform to the standard Harappan binary weight system that was used in all of the settlements.
The smallest weight in this series is grams and the most common weight is approximately 13.7 grams, which is in the 16th ratio.
These weights were found in recent excavations at Harappa and may have been used for controlling trade and possibly for collecting taxes.

20. Aryan Invasion

21. Aryan Invasion Skilled warriors from Central Asia
Religious writings called Vedas
Lived in small communities without real leaders
Sanskrit—most important language of ancient India
Introduced horses
Caste system—divided Indian society into groups based on person’s birth, wealth, or occupation (3,000 levels at one time)
Cannot leave your caste!

23. Who is: The mouth? The arms? The legs? The feet?
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
WHO IS…
Vaishyas
Shudras

24. Sanskrit Writing

25. Hinduism Hinduism—largest religion in India today
Polytheism—thousands of gods
Brahma the Creator
Siva the Destroyer
Vishnu the Preserver
Brahman—univeral spirit
Reincarnation—process of rebirth
Karma—the effects that good or bad action have on a person’s soul

26. Shiva

27. Jainism Based on Teachings of Mahavira-- Believed all life is valuable
Women wear masks
to avoid accidentally
breathing in an
insect.

28. Indian Empires
Candragupta Maurya gained control of upper India around 320 BC
Founded Mauryan Empire
Complex government
Became a Jainist monk and gave rule to his son
Asoka (grandson) became king in 270 BC
Conquered most of India
Converted to Buddhism
Sent Buddhist missionaries around Asia
Empire fell apart when he died

29. Gupta Empire Candra Gupta I (not related) 320 AD
Hinduism became the major religion
Candra Gupta II introduced the caste system
Huns invaded from the northwest
Gupta Empire gave up and India divided into small kingdoms again

30. Indian Achievements Buddhist temples Some were built in
the side of mountains
Ajanta

31. Achievements con’t
Stupas—temples with
domed roofs

32. Achievements Two religious epics—the Mahabharata and the Ramayana
Mahabharata—story of struggle between two families for control of kingdom
Contains the Bhagavad Gita (Hindu beliefs)
Ramayana—prince named Rama who was the god Vishnu in human form
He was to rid the world of demons and rescue his wife—ideal relationship

33. Metallurgy
Alloys
Hindu-Arabic numbers (we use them today)
Zero
Inoculation—protect against disease
Surgery
Astronomy