Indus Valley Civilization

INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION AND EARLY ARYAN SOCIETY

THE GEOGRAPHIC SETTING 

Indian Subcontinent    

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Northern Plain of Indus, Ganges Rivers Southern Deccan   

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To North: Impassable Himalayas To East: Passable low hills To Northwest: Passable Hindu Kush, Khyber Pass To West: Arabian Sea

High plateau, extremely dry Bordered on East and West by mountains Separated from north by river, low mountains

The Monsoon Winds  

Off the land October to April: Dry Season Off the Indian Ocean May to September: Wet Season

HARAPPAN SOCIETY 

The Indus River     

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Harappa and Mohenjo-daro    

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Runs through north India, sources at Hindu Kush, Himalayas Rich deposits, but less predictable than the Nile Wheat and barley were cultivated in Indus valley Cultivated cotton before 5000 B.C.E. Complex society of Dravidians, 3000/2500 B.C.E. Possibly served as twin capitals Each city had a fortified citadel and a large granary Broad streets, market places, temples, public buildings Standardized weights, measures, architecture, bricks

Specialized labor and trade  

Domestic trade, items inc. pottery, tools, metals Trading with Mesopotamians about 2300 to 1750 B.C.E.

HARAPPAN SOCIETY/CULTURE  

Social distinctions as seen from living styles Religious beliefs strongly emphasized fertility  

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Many deities were feminine In later Hinduism, Dravidian gods are blue-faced

Harappan society declined from 2000 B.C.E. onward     

Ecological degradation led to a subsistence crisis Natural catastrophes - floods or earthquakes Population began to abandon their cities by about 1700 B.C.E. Almost entirely collapsed by about 1500 B.C.E Evidence of warfare, invasion

INDO-EUROPEANS & ARYANS 

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Indo-Europeans  Linguistic similarities among Europe, Persia, and India  Indo-European family of languages  Indo-Iranian including Aryans (India), Medes/Persians (SW Asia)  Greek, Balto-Slavic, Germanic, Italic, Celtic  Tocarian, possibly Shang of China  Migrations as the key to explain linguistic similarities Indo-European origins  North of Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Aral Sea; Ukraine, Southern Russia  Common origins established through key vocabulary, traditions, myths Indo-European migrations  To Tarim Basin, fourth millennium B.C.E.  Shang of China appear to have been Indo-Europeans  To Anatolia (the Hittites), 3000 B.C.E.  By 2nd millennium, established communities in Europe  Around 1500 BCE, domesticated horse amongst Indo-Europeans 

Often called the Chariot Peoples; introduced iron and horse technologies

ARYANS IN INDIA The early Aryans

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Depended heavily on a pastoral economy No writing system, but orally transmitted works called the Vedas Sacred language (Sanskrit) and daily-use language (Prakit)

The Vedic Age: 1500 to 500 B.C.E.

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A boisterous period, conflict with indigenous peoples Called indigenous people dasas - "enemies" or "subject people" Indra, the Aryans' war god and military hero Aryan chiefdoms fought ferociously among themselves

Aryan migrations in India

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First settled in the Punjab, the upper Indus River valley Spread east and south from their base After 1000 B.C.E. settled between Himalayan foothills and Ganges Used iron tools and developed agriculture By 500 B.C.E. migrated as far south as the northern Deccan Lost tribal organizations but established regional kingdoms

THE CASTE SYSTEM 

Caste and varna 

Caste: 

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Hereditary, unchangeable social classes

Sanskrit word varna, "color," referring to social classes Social distinctions based on racial skin colors

Social distinctions in the late Vedic Age 

Four main varnas, recognized after 1000 B.C.E.      

brahmins (priests) kshatriyas (warriors and aristocrats: rulers) vaishyas (cultivators, artisans, and merchants) shudras (landless peasants and serfs) Later, the category of the pariah (untouchables) was added Subcaste or jati   

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Represents more elaborate social classification, developed after 6th c. B.C.E. Jati, or subcastes, were determined by occupations The elaborate rules of jati life

Caste and social mobility   

Caste system was capable of accommodating social change Social mobility was very difficult but still possible Foreign peoples could find a place in society of the castes

RISE OF PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY 

Patriarchal, Patrilineal society      

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Source: The Lawbook of Manu     

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Original Aryan Society: women had rights, some were chiefs Changes occurred with change to sedentary civilization Men served as priests, warriors, and tribal chiefs Family lines based on male descendants (the patriline) Only males could inherit property Men learned the Vedas and received formal education Prepared by an anonymous sage, 1st century B.C.E. Dealt with moral behavior and social relationships Advised men to treat women with honor and respect Subjected women to the control and guidance of men Women's duties: bear children, maintain the household

Sati as a social custom

ARYAN RELIGION 

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The Aryan gods  The war god, Indra  The gods of the sun, sky, moon, fire, health, etc.  The god Varuna - an ethical concern Ritual sacrifices  Importance of ritual sacrifices  Horse sacrifice originally  Priests were specialists of the ritual sacrifices  Ritual sacrifices for rewards from the divine power Spirituality  Many Aryans dissatisfied with ritual sacrifices in late Vedic age  A shift to spiritual contemplation  Thoughtful individuals retreated to forests as hermits  Dravidian notions were coopted  Transmigration of soul  Reincarnation (nirvana)

THE RISE OF HINDUISM 

The Upanishads  

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Brahman: the universal soul  

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Brahman was the only genuine reality Highest goal: to escape reincarnation and join with Brahman

Teachings of the Upanishads    

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Works of religious teachings, 800 to 400 B.C.E. The religious forums: dialogues between disciples and sages

Samsara: An individual soul was born many times Karma: specific incarnations that a soul experienced Moksha: permanent liberation from physical incarnation Dharma: Caste duties

Religion and Vedic Society    

Samsara and karma reinforced social hierarchy Upanishads were also spiritual and intellectual contemplations Taught to observe high ethical standards Respect for all living things, a vegetarian diet