Chapter 3: Ancient Indian Civilizations

1
AIM What have archeologists discovered about the
early cities of the Indus River valley? Do Now
What is archeology? Why is it important in
studying history? HW Choose three objects that
if found by archeologists would describe who you
are. Draw these objects and explain why you
chose them.
2
Chapter 3 Ancient Indian Civilizations
Harappan Excavations
3
Section 1 Indus River Valley Civilization

• The Story Continues
• Thousands of years ago near the Indus River
  valley there existed a village called Amri, whose
  citizens were makers of fine pottery. Indus River
  valley people like those in Amri helped lay the
  foundation for cultures in the modern countries
  of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan,
  and Sri Lanka.

4
I. Geography and Climate

• Indian civilization developed in the Indus River
  valley about 4,500 years ago

5
A. Physical Geography

• The Indian subcontinent extends south from
  central Asia into the Indian Ocean

6
A. Physical Geography

• High mountain ranges cut India off from
  immigrants and invaders

7
A. Physical Geography

• Two great rivers - the Ganges and Indus rise
• in the mountains and drain Indo-Gangetic Plain

8
A. Physical Geography

• South of the I-G Plain is the Deccan Plateau,
  bordered by the Eastern and Western Ghats

9
A. Physical Geography

• Narrow coastal plains lie along the Arabian Sea
  and the Bay of Bengal

10
A. Physical Geography

• The peoples of these coastal plains became sea
  traders

11
B. Climate

• Two features dominate Indias climate monsoons
  and high temperatures

12
B. Climate

• Monsoons - seasonal winds that blow from the NE
  Nov. to Mar. and from the SW June to Oct.

13
B. Climate

• The NE (dry) monsoon drops moisture on the
  Himalayas before reaching India

14
B. Climate

• The SW (wet) monsoon carries warm, moist air from
  the Indian Ocean and brings heavy rains

15
B. Climate

• The wet monsoon brings most of the years
  rainfall and is important for agriculture

20cm 7.9in 100cm 39.4in 400cm 13.2ft 800cm
26.3ft 1000cm 32.8ft
16
B. Climate

• If the wet monsoon arrives late or brings little
  rain, crops fail too much rain, flooding
  destroys the countryside

17
B. Climate

• Temperatures can reach 120ºF in the Indo-Gangetic
  Plain

Aurangabad, India 15 C 59 F 30 C 86 F 45
C 113 F
18
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• 2500 BC to 1500 BC the Harappan Civilization
  developed in the Indus River valley

An artistic conception of ancient Lothal
19
Discovery of Indus River Civilization

• For thousands of years this civilization was lost
  to the world. However beginning in the middle of
  the 1800s and picking up speed in the 1920s were
  the discovery that India did have a major ancient
  civilization.
• What did one of the first archeologists think
  when he visitied

20
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• The named derives from one of the two discovered
  cities - Harappa and Mohenjo Daro ("Mound of the
  Dead)

Early settlements date to 7000 BC
21
(No Transcript)
22
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• Both cities were planned with wide streets, water
  systems, public baths, and brick sewers

Ruins of Harappa
23
This map shows the layout of Mohenjo-Daro, one of
the principal cities of the Indus Valley
civilization. The larger eastern area contained
the residential and commercial sections of the
city, which were laid out in a grid of large
rectangular blocks. Rising more than twenty feet
to the west stood the citadel, built on a mound
of mud brick and rubble. Fortified by a brick
wall and towers, the citadel contained the citys
shrine, assembly hall, baths, and granary.
24
Directions

• You will break into small groups
• When you get to your station you will read the
  placard and try to answer the question on your
  worksheet
• Then read the section in History Alive and answer
  what archeologists believe the answer is
• Lastly complete the picture on the worksheet

25
The Great Bath was entered using two wide
staircases, one from the north and one from the
south. The floor of the tank is watertight due to
finely fitted bricks laid on edge with gypsum
plaster.
26
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• Each city had a strong central fortress, or
  citadel, on a brick platform

Excavated ruins of Mohenjo-daro
27
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• Storehouses for grain indicate careful planning
  and a strong central government

Harappa granary
28
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• Harappan farmers grew crops in irrigated fields
  and raised livestock

Ceramic sculpture of a small cart with vases and
tools pulled by oxen, from Mohenjo-daro
29
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• As early as 2300 B.C., the Harappans traded with
  the people of the Tigris-Euphrates valley

This seal, found in Mesopotamia, indicates a
product was made in Harappa, indicating trade
took place between the two regions
30
Indus Valley Seals
31
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• A written language was developed but it has not
  been deciphered or connected to other languages

32
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• No temples or religious writings have been found,
  just animal images and some evidence of a mother
  goddess of fertility

33
Terracotta Figurines
34
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley

• The Harappan civilization disappeared - theories
  include changes in the Indus River, earthquakes,
  or invasion

35
II. Early Civilizations in the Indus River Valley
Harappan Excavations A Walk through
Mohenjo-Daro A Walk around Harappa
36

• Over 1500 sites, the largest of the ancient
  civilizations

37
Weights and MeasuresWhat does this tell us about
their daily life? ( Economy etc)

• The people of the Indus River civ. Had a set of
  weights and measures, and they must have had some
  math system
• Grain may have been used as money

38
The Great BathIs this religious? What were their
beliefs?

• A large pool of water which may have been used as
  a bathing area.
• It had a drain for taking away dirty water
• This may have been a predecessor of Hinduism
  because bathing is a large part of their beliefs

39
JewelryWhat was their fashion? What did they
look like?

• Wore jewelry and various types of robes or cloth
• Had many of the same types as the Egyptians and
  probably wore jewelry for the same reasons

40
SealsWhat is their language?

• Many seals with pictures and writings are found
  around Mohenjodaro.
• May have been charms- many of the seals have
  characters that resemble Hindu gods
• May have been seals pressed into wax in order to
  show ownership of things
• Seals show us that they traded with Mesopotamia
  because they have found the exact same seals
  there as in the IRV

41
Sewer SystemHow did they keep themselves clean?
What does this tell us about their standard of
living?

• They tried to keep their city clean by moving
  waste away from the city and into the Indus
  River.
• 2000 years will pass before another civilization
  will adopt the idea of a sewer system

42
Homes Does this tell us anything about a social
class or how they lived?

• Homes were typically two stories tall
• Made out of mud brick
• Some were only one room, other buildings had
  multiple rooms
• The windows/buildings were oriented to catch the
  wind and creating a natural air conditioning

43
Games

• What do these games tell us about their standard
  of living?
• They had time for free time and entertainment
  because they were not busy trying to live like
  hunter/gatherers
• Chess was invented in India

44
Clay models

• Just like toys today, the clay figurines were
  probably played with by children, but shows the
  various technologies that they had at that time

45
Writing prompts-answer one of the first two, and
the third

• If the Indus River Civilization did not disapper,
  which achievement/s do you think would have had
  the greatest impact on later societies?
• In what ways is Mohenjodaro like a modern city?
  Unlike a modern city?
• What questions do you still have about life in
  the Indus River Civilization?