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The Aryans
Aryans left homeland about
2000 B.C. & migrated to Indus River Valley –
1500 B.C.
Aryans left homeland about
2000 B.C. & migrated to Indus River Valley –
1500 B.C.
AryansAryans•Lived in grassland of the Black & Caspian Seas
•Indo-Europeans•Herded cattle, goats, and sheep
•Tamed the horse•Developed chariot
•Lived in grassland of the Black & Caspian Seas
•Indo-Europeans•Herded cattle, goats, and sheep
•Tamed the horse•Developed chariot
Aryan Life•Lived in houses of bamboo or wood
•Left poetic records – the Vedas
VedasVedas•A collection of hymns and poems
•Passed on through oral tradition
•Main source of information about Aryan life
•A collection of hymns and poems
•Passed on through oral tradition
•Main source of information about Aryan life
Vedic PeriodVedic Period•Period from 1500-600
B.C.•4 Vedas•Rig-Veda is oldest collection
•Written in Sanskrit
•Period from 1500-600 B.C.
•4 Vedas•Rig-Veda is oldest collection
•Written in Sanskrit
Aryan ReligionAryan Religion•Brought new religion with them
•Worshipped many gods•Priests sacrificed food and drink to gods in sacred fires
•Brought new religion with them
•Worshipped many gods•Priests sacrificed food and drink to gods in sacred fires
Aryan Social System: Made up of 4 varnas
Aryan Social System: Made up of 4 varnas
•Priests or Brahmins: performed religious rituals
•Rulers & warriors: ruled and protected society
•Merchants & farmers: supplied food clothing and other goods
•Servants
•Priests or Brahmins: performed religious rituals
•Rulers & warriors: ruled and protected society
•Merchants & farmers: supplied food clothing and other goods
•Servants
Only males from top three classes could study the
Vedas
Only males from top three classes could study the
Vedas
Social Sub-groupsSocial Sub-groups•Sub-groups were called Jatis
•Person was born into Jatis and remained there for entire life
•Sub-groups were called Jatis
•Person was born into Jatis and remained there for entire life
Caste SystemCaste System•Caste System developed as a result of classes
•Caste: a unit into which a person is born and cannot change
•Caste System developed as a result of classes
•Caste: a unit into which a person is born and cannot change
Aryans were concerned with ritual
cleanliness and ranked jobs
according to purity.
Aryans were concerned with ritual
cleanliness and ranked jobs
according to purity.
UntouchablesUntouchables•One who falls outside the Hindu social system
•Performed dirtiest tasks such as dealing with dead bodies
•One who falls outside the Hindu social system
•Performed dirtiest tasks such as dealing with dead bodies
Vedic ReligionVedic Religion•Brahman had three roles: creator, sustainer, and destroyer
•These roles evolved into three different gods
•Brahman had three roles: creator, sustainer, and destroyer
•These roles evolved into three different gods
Three rolesThree roles
•Brahma – creator•Vishnu – sustainer•Shiva - destroyer
•Brahma – creator•Vishnu – sustainer•Shiva - destroyer
three godsthree gods
BrahmaBrahma
VishnuVishnu
ShivaShiva
Accomplishments of the Aryans
Accomplishments of the Aryans
•New language•New gods•New social order
•New language•New gods•New social order
The Aryan religion
evolved into Hinduism!
The Aryan religion
evolved into Hinduism!