Indus Valley CivilizationsIndus Valley Civilizations

Harappan CivilizationHarappan CivilizationAryan Civilization…Aryan Civilization…

c. 3000 – 1500 BCEc. 3000 – 1500 BCE

Extreme ClimateExtreme Climate

1.1. Himalaya Himalaya Mountains-Mountains- Water flowed to Water flowed to alluvial alluvial plainplain via 7 (now 5 ) rivers:via 7 (now 5 ) rivers:

“ “Indus-Saraswati River Indus-Saraswati River System”System”

2.2. Monsoon Winds Monsoon Winds Heavy RainsHeavy RainsMoisture-laden clouds Moisture-laden clouds meet mountains, drop meet mountains, drop moisturemoisture

Summer MonsoonSummer Monsoon

Winter MonsoonWinter Monsoon

Geography: Geography: Alluvial PlainAlluvial Plain Some destructive & Some destructive &

unpredictable unpredictable floodsfloods

– Cities rebuilt 5-6 Cities rebuilt 5-6 timestimes

Wet, marshy Wet, marshy environment: environment: – Animals: rhinos, elephants, Animals: rhinos, elephants,

tigerstigers

– Kiln dried bricks, not sun Kiln dried bricks, not sun drieddried

LargestLargest AncientAncientCivilizationCivilizationParts of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India

Harappan CivilizationHarappan Civilization

Discovered in Discovered in 18561856

Alexander CunninghamAlexander Cunningham

British building a railroad British building a railroad near Indus near Indus

Artifacts: pre-dated Artifacts: pre-dated

earliest known earliest known civilizations in Indiacivilizations in India

DevisDevis

1. 1. HarappaHarappaNorthernNorthern area, area,

on one on one of 5 great riversof 5 great rivers

2. 2. Mohenjo-daro Mohenjo-daro - - LargestLargest

400 miles 400 miles SouthSouth on on

IndusIndus

More cities, & More cities, & Larger cities than Larger cities than other early complexother early complexsocieties….societies….

Planned UNIFORMITY!!Planned UNIFORMITY!!

1.1. Grid Pattern Grid Pattern layout layout

of all their cities:of all their cities:- Divided into 12 precise

segments by main roads 30’ wide

- Cities were walledwalled- 1 mile east to west, and 1/2 mile north to south

2. 2. Standardization: Standardization:

Identical ratio for Identical ratio for

kiln-dried brickskiln-dried bricks

CAREFUL PLANNINGCAREFUL PLANNING Large, raised, walled & gated cities;Large, raised, walled & gated cities;

large public areaslarge public areas

Upper & Lower cityUpper & Lower city

Smallest homes Smallest homes

near walls & near walls &

agriculture, agriculture,

in lower cityin lower city

Excavated area on left – untouched Excavated area on left – untouched on right …on right …

Not much has been done in recent years…

Residential areasResidential areasBrick homesBrick homes of of varying sizesvarying sizes

mixed together: mixed together:

Each had central courtyardEach had central courtyard

City-wide sanitation City-wide sanitation systemsystem

Wells in homes and Wells in homes and neighborhoodsneighborhoods

Bathing area – standBathing area – stand

Some with toilets!Some with toilets!

Oval & leaf-shaped wells inside residencesOval & leaf-shaped wells inside residences

City Planning & Sewage SystemCity Planning & Sewage System

Best in the Ancient World!Best in the Ancient World!

Limestone drain covers on streetLimestone drain covers on street

City-wideCity-wide

Drainage Drainage SystemSystem

1. Agricultural Economy1. Agricultural Economy Bronze toolsBronze tools

Irrigation &Irrigation & CisternsCisterns

Massive granaries in Massive granaries in

cities cities bureaucraciesbureaucracies to to

administer themadminister them

Domesticated animalsDomesticated animals: : – camels, cats, dogs, camels, cats, dogs, – goats, sheep, and buffalo. goats, sheep, and buffalo.

Dyers’ Workshop?Dyers’ Workshop?

2. 2. TRADETRADE

EXPORT:EXPORT: – Pottery Pottery – Jewelry: Jewelry: precious metals, stonesprecious metals, stones

– SpicesSpices– Textiles -Textiles - cottoncotton

ImportImport:: - - Jade from ChinaJade from China- - Precious jewels from BurmaPrecious jewels from Burma- Goods carried by riverboat or ox - Goods carried by riverboat or ox

cartscarts

Signature SealsSignature Seals

Undeciphered Undeciphered

Written Written

LanguageLanguage

What do we know?What do we know?

What do we know? How do we know it? What do we know? How do we know it? What difference does it make?What difference does it make?

Theories: Harappan DeclineTheories: Harappan Decline

1. 1. Severe Severe floodingflooding abandonment? abandonment?

2.2. Short term natural Short term natural disaster -disaster - (earthquake)?(earthquake)?

3. 3. Long-termLong-term environmental environmental changeschanges:: shifts in monsoon pattern shifts in monsoon pattern warming temperature warming temperature

desertification of area desertification of area over-use of land and cutting over-use of land and cutting

of treesof trees deforestation deforestation

4. 4. Political Failure? Political Failure? – Too many people to care for? Too many people to care for? – Authorities lost desire/talent Authorities lost desire/talent – Revolts? Revolts? Definite decline in quality of Definite decline in quality of planning & building observed.planning & building observed.

5. 5. Aryan Invasion Theory?Aryan Invasion Theory? Harappans too weak to militarily Harappans too weak to militarily prevent newcomers from prevent newcomers from taking over? taking over?

- - No weapons found at sitesNo weapons found at sites

6.6. Nomadic Nomadic ImmigrationImmigration Theory Theory- Evidence: - Evidence: Sudden wave of Sudden wave of

different type of pottery, so….different type of pottery, so….

New trade, New trade, or or New people New people Arrived…Arrived…

Indo European LanguageIndo European Language on the on the MOVE…MOVE…

ARYAN INVASION / Arrival ARYAN INVASION / Arrival TheoryTheory

2500 - 1500 BCE2500 - 1500 BCE

– Climate shifts Climate shifts Grass crops failing? Needed Grass crops failing? Needed

new and better pasture for herds? new and better pasture for herds? – Increased population Increased population conflict over grazing conflict over grazing

land?land?

Mobile & Military AryansMobile & Military Aryans

Pastoral Pastoral NOMADSNOMADS

WARRIOR WARRIOR CultureCulture

Patrilineal Patrilineal

& & PatrilocalPatrilocal

Importance of Importance of “Kine” “Kine” for Pastoral for Pastoral PeoplePeople

VEDASVEDAS

Originally ORAL – later transcribed

Strictly metered verses easily memorized

VEDASVEDAS

Aryans respected:Aryans respected:– Physical StrengthPhysical Strength– Martial skillsMartial skills– Heroic ExploitsHeroic Exploits– CourageCourage– WarfareWarfare– Fast horsesFast horses– FameFame– Male childrenMale children

Earliest Earliest Sacred Sacred Literature Literature of of “Hinduism” “Hinduism”

Let’s take a Look atLet’s take a Look atThe Rig VedaThe Rig Veda

Early Aryan BeliefsEarly Aryan Beliefs

Priests & Rituals-Priests & Rituals- THETHE central role central role

Aryan Social Hierarchy Aryan Social Hierarchy

BRAHMINBRAHMINKSHATRIYAKSHATRIYAVAISYAVAISYASudra Sudra

HarappansHarappans – –– No evidence - No evidence - Lots of assumptions! Lots of assumptions!

AryansAryans – –

–Laws of Manyu:Laws of Manyu: Rules for women & all Rules for women & all classes classes

What role did What role did women play in women play in early early Vedic society?Vedic society?

What role do What role do women play in women play in anyany patriarchal patriarchal society?society?

Where did the Aryans go?Where did the Aryans go?

From c. 1500 BCE: From c. 1500 BCE: no more evidence no more evidence

of “Aryans” as a of “Aryans” as a separate group in separate group in South Asia… South Asia…

And the And the

Harappans??Harappans??

Time Passed… Time Passed…

The needs of society changed… The needs of society changed…

gradually. gradually.

UpanishadsUpanishads Sacred Hindu LiteratureSacred Hindu Literature

– More than 200 are known– Vedanta – “end of the Vedas”– Predate the Common Era

““Sitting down near”Sitting down near” a spiritual teacher, or GURUGURU

BrahmBrahmaann – universal spirit – universal spirit “The ultimate, both transcendent and immanent, the absolute infinite existence, the sum total of all that ever is, was, or shall be.”

Atma(n)Atma(n) – – individual self / individual self / soul / “breath”soul / “breath”

Upanishads: MeditationUpanishads: Meditation

First & most definitive First & most definitive explications of the divine explications of the divine syllable syllable AUMAUM or OM or OM– the cosmic vibration that the cosmic vibration that

underlies all existenceunderlies all existence. .

The The mantramantra ""Aum Shanti Aum Shanti Shanti ShantiShanti Shanti"" (the (the soundless sound, peace, soundless sound, peace, peace, peace)peace, peace)

SourcesSources

http://www.mohenjodaro.net/index.html

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ANCINDIA/HARAPPA.HTM

http://www.archaeologyonline.net/