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Today’s Goal
• Understand the environmental, social, political, and religious characteristics of the Indus River Valley civilization
Civilizations of Ancient Civilizations of Ancient IndiaIndia
Indus River ValleyIndus River Valley
&&
Aryan TransformationAryan Transformation
Geography of Indian Subcontinent
• Mountains separate from rest of Asia• Indus & Ganges Rivers• Monsoons
3300 BCE - 2400 BCE
Earliest Civilization = Harappan
Harappan Planned Cities• Levees• Grid system• Fortified citadel• Oven-baked bricks of
standard sizes
• Plumbing & sewage system• Strong central gov’t!!!
Harappan Culture• Written language not deciphered• Social divisions• No weapons• Artifacts show prosperity• Polytheistic religion
– No temples– Theocracy
• Thriving trade
Unicorn seal
Bull figurine
Decline of Harappan Civ.???
• Cities fell into decay – but why?• Possible earthquakes & floods• Over-used soil• Invasion of Aryans
Aryans & The Vedic Age Aryans & The Vedic Age (1500-500 BC)(1500-500 BC)
Goal Goal How did the Aryans How did the Aryans change early Indian society & change early Indian society &
culture? culture?
Aryans & The Vedic Age (1500-500 BC)
• Indo-Europeans• Aryan Migration
- Pastoral cattle
- Warriors chariots
The Vedas• Sacred literature – four collections of
prayers, spells, & instructions– Rig Veda hymns to Aryan
gods
The Caste System Develops
• Aryan means “noble” (Sanskrit)• Viewed themselves as superior to
native “dasas”
Varna (Social Hierarchy)
ShudrasShudras
VaishyasVaishyas
Kshatriyas Kshatriyas
Pariahs [Dalits] UntouchablesPariahs [Dalits] Untouchables
BrahminsBrahmins
The Caste System
The mouth?
The arms?
The legs?
The feet?
WHO IS…
What is a JATI?
BrahminsBrahmins
Kshatriyas
Kshatriyas
VaishyasVaishyas
ShudrasShudras
Aryan Kingdoms Arise• At first, Aryan chiefs were elected by
the entire tribe• Minor kings struggled for land & power• As a result, the major kingdom of
Magadha developed & expanded
• One of the great epics of India, “Mahabharata”- Reflects the struggles that took place in India as the Aryans expanded south
• This epic indicates that a blending of cultures between Aryans & non-Aryans was taking place
Krishna was a semi-divine hero described as “dark-faced”, and
therefore non-Aryan
Statue of Krishna