Old World Civilizations

What modern day countries was the Indus Valley civilization in?

Indus River Valley This civilization is still mysterious. Their writing has not been translated.

Indus River civilization We do know the cities were sophisticated enough to have brick walls surrounding them for protection against flooding from the Indus River.

Review: What are artifacts and fossils?

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 4000-1000 B.C.

Indus Economy Indus river valley people were mostly farmers. They grew crops like wheat and barley and domesticated animals like chickens. Inhabitants of the Indus valley traded with Mesopotamia, southern India, Afghanistan, and Persia for gold, silver, copper, and turquoise.

Trade

Economy-Agriculture Irrigation was used to take advantage of the fertile grounds along the Indus River. Earthen walls were built to control the river's annual flooding. Crops grown included peas, dates, melons, and sesame. This civilization was the first to cultivate cotton for the production of cloth. Several animals were domesticated including the elephant which was used for its ivory, cattle, and buffaloes.

Terraced Fields

Comparative Timeline

Early Harappan 3300-2800 BC First culture to emerge is called Early or Pre-Harappan. Trade networks linked this culture with related regional cultures and distant sources of raw materials, including lapis lazuli and other materials for bead-making. Crops included peas, sesame seeds, dates, and cotton. Domestic animals also used such as the water buffalo. Mud brick for building.

Middle Harappan 2600-1900 BC By 2500 BC, communities had been turned into urban centers. Six such urban centers have been discovered including Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. In total, over 1052 cities and settlements have been found. Irrigation was used to increase crop production and mud brick structures.

Late Harappan 1700-1300 BC Cremation of human remains began during this time period. The bones were stored in painted pottery burial urns. This is completely different from the earlier people where bodies were buried in wooden coffins. Reddish pottery, painted in black with antelopes, peacocks, the sun, stars, etc. Rice became a main crop. Apparent breakdown of the widespread trade of the Indus civilization, with materials such as marine shells no longer used. Continued use of mud brick for building.

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 (ocean water) resources.

Himalayan Mountains Melting snow from the mountains provided a continuous source of water for the Indus and its tributaries. Also provided important timber, animal products, and minerals, gold, silver, tin and semiprecious stones that were traded.

Valleys Cedar in Chitral valley is still used to make houses and coffins, following a tradition that dates back to the first Indus cities. Source of the deep blue lapis lazuli. Mined during the Indus period and traded throughout the Indus Valley and to far off Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Coast Ancient Harappan sites were located along the coast spreading to the border of modern Iran. These coastal settlements were involved in fishing and trading, using the monsoon winds to travel back and forth to Oman and the Persian Gulf region.

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.

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

Cities The similarities between Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa indicate that they were part of a unified, organized government. constructed of the same type and shape of bricks may have existed simultaneously and their sizes suggest they served as capitals of their provinces. Burials were not elaborate; more simplistic and contain few goods. Remains of palaces or temples have not been found. No evidence of military activity, though the cities did contain fortifications and artifacts such as copper and bronze knives, spears, and arrowheads were found.

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 BC). On top of the Harappan structures is a Buddhist period “stupa” made of mud brick that dates to the first century A.D.

The Great Bath Earliest public water tank Two staircases lead down into the tank from the north and south Small sockets at the edges of the stairs are thought to have held wooden planks or treads. At the foot of the stairs is a small ledge with a brick edging that extends the entire width of the pool.

Great Bath

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.

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

Harappa The high mound at Harappa is surrounded by a massive mud brick city wall with large square ramparts. One of these eroding ramparts is visible through the underbrush that now covers the site.

Harappa Site

Well A large public well and public bathing platforms were found at Harappa. Public bathing areas may also have been used for washing clothes as is common in many cities in Pakistan and India today.

Harappa: Mound E and ET Inside the city is an area that has been identified as a crafts quarter. Large quantities of manufacturing debris have been found in this area indicating the presence of workshops for making stone beads, shell ornaments, glazed faience ornaments, stone tools and possibly even gold working.

Artists Conception by Chris Sloan, courtesy of JM Kenoyer

Language Used a pictographic script. Some 3500 specimens of this script survive in stamp seals carved in stone, in molded terracotta and amulets, in fragments of pottery, and in a few other inscribed objects. Seals and amulets often contain mostly realistic pictures of animals apparently worshipped as sacred and a few scenes of deities and worshippers. This material is important to the investigation of the Harappan language and religion.

The origins of Indus writing The origins of Indus writing can now be traced to the Ravi Phase (c. 3300-2800 BC) at Harappa. Some inscriptions were made on the bottom of the pottery before firing. This inscription (c. 3300 BC) appears to be three plant symbols.

Ancient Indus

Gharial eating fish on molded terra-cotta tablet from Mohenjo Daro.

Seals Silver Seal Clay Seals

Harappan Astronomy Although the translation of the Harappan script is still not complete, there are numerous indications that Harappans were well versed in astronomy. The straight streets of the Indus cities are oriented towards the cardinal directions. Like other urban civilizations, it undoubtedly needed a calendar that adjusted to the lunar and solar transitions.

Elephants “Unicorn” This unicorn seal was also discovered during the late 1927-31 excavations at Mohenjo-Daro.

Artifacts These egg shaped whistles may have been used for music, a tradition that is still present in rural areas of Pakistan and India.

Clay Sculpture

Pottery

Copper Copper plate with vertical sides.

Ornaments This collection of gold and agate ornaments (see next slide) includes objects found at both Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. At the top are fillets of hammered gold that would have been worn around the forehead. The other ornaments include bangles, chokers, long pendant necklaces, rings, earrings, hair ornaments, and broaches. These ornaments were never buried with the dead, but were passed on from one generation to the next. These ornaments were hidden under the floors in the homes of wealthy merchants or goldsmiths.

Ornaments

Necklace Necklace from Mohenjo-Daro made from gold, agate, jasper, steatite and green stone. The gold beads are hollow and the pendant agate and jasper beads are attached with thick gold wire.

Burial The body was placed inside a wooden coffin (which later decayed) and entombed in a rectangular pit surrounded with burial offerings in pottery vessels. The man was buried wearing a necklace of 340 graduated steatite beads and three separate pendant beads made of natural stone and three gold beads. A single copper bead was found at his waist.

Burial Burial of woman and infant This burial was disturbed in antiquity, possibly grave robbers. Besides the fact that the body is flipped and the pottery disturbed, the left arm of the woman is broken and shell bangles that would normally be found on the left arm are missing. The infant was buried in a small pit beneath the legs of the mother.

Collapse of Harappan “Civilization” Eventually the Harappan Civilization collapsed and disappeared. Architectural and ceramic forms changed along with the loss of writing, planned settlements, public sanitation, monumental architecture, trade, seals, and weights. There are 3 theories as to how this could have happened. intense flooding decrease in precipitation lower water levels of the Sarasvati River

Religions of the World

Hinduism Brought to this region by a group of nomads called Aryans. Absorbed many beliefs from other religions. Hindus believe there are many ways to worship. They are polytheistic- believe in many gods and goddesses. Still a major religion today especially in India and considered to be the oldest religion still being practiced.

Reincarnation Hindus believe that all living things have many lives. When you die, your soul is reborn in the body of another living thing. This is called reincarnation. If you do good things in this life, you will come back wiser and better in your next life. The opposite is also true. Doing bad things could cause you to come back as a rat!

Social Structure in India The Hindu Caste System Social Structure in India

How Caste Shapes Society Definition: A type of social organization/hierarchy in which a person’s occupation and position in life is determined by the circumstances of his birth.

Rigid, hereditary membership into birth caste How Caste Shapes Society Rigid, hereditary membership into birth caste Marriage only among member of same caste Occupation choices restricted Personal contact with other castes restricted Acceptance of fixed place in society

Members of a caste rely on each other for support Caste Systems Benefits Members of a caste rely on each other for support

Traditional Village System Landholder gives grain to… Barber Potter Blacksmith Carpenter Priest Today…more of a market system

Caste Systems Benefits Each caste is born out of Brahma (the creator) Brahmins—thinkers Ksatriya—doers Vaisya—provide food for the belly Sudra—do the work

How One’s Caste is Determined Karma A person’s social position in the next life is determined by his conduct in the present life. Reincarnation A person is born, lives, dies, and is reborn again many times. Souls are reborn many times until they are pure enough to be with the creator, Brahma

How One’s Caste is Determined Dharma Code of behavior or set of moral and ethical rules that govern the conduct of each social class. Each group has a different set of rules to live by. Laws of Manu Hindu book of sacred law Rules and restrictions for daily life

The Four Castes Brahmins – Priests, Teachers, Judges; usually don’t own land therefore need other castes to work the land and provide for them Kshatriyas – Warriors and Rulers (landowners) Vaisyas – Skilled Traders, Merchants, Farmers

Below these four castes are people who belong to no caste The Four Castes Sudras – Unskilled Workers—Laborers and Craft workers Below these four castes are people who belong to no caste Untouchables – Outcastes Concept of pollution…the most pure at the top (Brahmins) and the most polluted at the bottom (Untouchables)

Brahmins - Priests Purpose is to help people of other castes fulfill their dharma Perform rituals and observe vows for the sake of others

Responsible for leadership of the people Kshatriyas - Warriors and Rulers Responsible for leadership of the people Often rely on advice from Brahmins

Shopkeepers who sell products (unlike the Shudra who sell services) Vaisyas – Skilled Traders, Merchants Shopkeepers who sell products (unlike the Shudra who sell services)

Sudras – Unskilled Workers Each subgroup of this caste performs a specific service. Jobs include gardeners, potters, and clothes washers

Untouchables - The Outcastes Belong to no caste Expected to do the “dirty” jobs Come in contact with animal skins, dead bodies and human feces Avoid contact with “caste” Indians for fear of “pollution”

Buddha Based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama Called Buddha This means the “Enlightened One” He preached a new way of life to end suffering. http://cdn.babble.com/famecrawler/files/2010/10/buddha_big.jpg

Buddhism Reaching nirvana is the goal of Buddhism. This means a state of great wisdom, compassion, and being free from suffering. Still a major religion today especially in southeast Asian countries. Video

References Cited http://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html http://www.harappa.com/har/indus-saraswati-geography.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization http://www.geocities.com/look4harappan/colapse.htm Mcintosh, Jane. 2002. A Peaceful realm. Boulder: Westview Press.