1. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 1 Chapter 4 Early Societies in South Asia

2. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 2 Harappa society and its neighbors, ca 2000 BCE

3. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 3 Foundations of Harappan Society The Indus River  Silt-enriched water from mountain ranges Major society built by Dravidian peoples, 3000-2500 BCE  Cultivation of cotton before 5000 BCE, early cultivation of poultry  Decline after 1900 BCE Major cities: Harrapa (Punjab region and Mohenjo-daro (mouth of Indus River)  70 smaller sites excavated (total 1,500)

4. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 4 Mohenjo-daro Ruins Population c. 40,000 Regional center  Layout, architecture suggests public purpose  Broad streets, citadel, pool, sewage Standardized weights evident throughout region Specialized labor Trade

5. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 5 Harappan Society and Culture Evidence of social stratification  Dwelling size, decoration Harappan Civilization: influence on later Indian culture Statues, figurines and illustrations reflect a tradition of art and metallurgy Venerated goddesses of fertility

6. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 6 Mysterious End of Harappan Civilization Reasons for disappearance unclear  Excessive deforestation, loss of topsoil  Earthquakes?  Flooding? Evidence of unburied dead Disappearance by 1500 BCE Harappan traditions survived – agricultural practices, religious beliefs, and urban traditions

7. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 7 Aryan Migrations Aryans, lighter-skinned invaders from the north Dravidians, darker-skinned sedentary inhabitants of Harappa Color Bias Socio-Economic Implications Difficulty of theory: no evidence of large-scale military conquest

8. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 8 The Early Aryans Pastoral economy: sheep, goats, horses, cattle  Vegetarianism not widespread until many centuries later Religious and Literary works: The Vedas  Sanskrit: sacred tongue  Prakrit: everyday language, evolved into Hindi, Urdu, Bengali  Four Vedas (wisdom), most important Rig Veda 1,028 hymns to gods

9. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 9 The Vedic Age Conflicts between Aryans and indigenous dasas (“enemies,” “subjects”)  Aryans fighting Dravidians  Also Aryans fighting each other Chiefdoms: Rajas Early concentration in Punjab, migrations further south  Development of iron metallurgy  Increasing reliance on agriculture Tribal connections evolve into political structures

10. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 10 Varna: The Caste System Origins in Aryan domination of Dravidians  Brahmin, Priest  Kshatriya, Warrior  Vaishya, Merchant  Sudra, Commoner  Harijan: “Untouchables; Pariahs” Jati system of subcastes  Related to urbanization, increasing social and economic complexity

11. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 11 Patriarchy in Ancient Indian Society “rule of the father” A social order that stood alongside the caste system, and varna hierarchy Enforced in the The Lawbook of Manu  Dealt with proper moral behavior and social relationships  Caste, Jati, inheritance through male line

12. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 12 Aryan Religion Major deity of Rig Veda: Indra, war god Elaborate ritual sacrifices to gods  Role of Brahmins important C. 800 BCE some movement away from sacrificial cults  Mystical thought, influenced by Dravidians

13. Copyright © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. 13 Teachings of the Upanishads Texts that represent blending of Aryan and Dravidian traditions Composed 800-400 BCE, some later collections until 13 th century CE Brahman: the Universal Soul Samsara: reincarnation Karma: accounting for incarnations Moksha: mystical ecstasy Relationship to system of Varna