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- 1. Chapter 4 Early Societies in South Asia 1 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 2. Harappan society and its neighbors, ca. 2000 B.C.E. 2 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 3. Foundations of Harappan Society The Indus River Silt-enriched water from mountain ranges Major society built by Dravidian peoples, 3000-2500 BCE Cultivation of cotton before 5000 BCE, early cultivation of poultry Decline after 1900 BCE Major cities: Harrapa (Punjab region and Mohenjo-Daro (mouth of Indus River) 70 smaller sites excavated (total 1,500) 3 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 4. Mohenjo-Daro Ruins Population c. 40,000 Regional center Layout, architecture suggests public purpose Broad streets, citadel, pool, sewage Standardized weights evident throughout region Specialized labor Trade 4 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 5. Harapan Society and Culture Evidence of social stratification Dwelling size, decoration Harappan Civilization: matriarchal? Influence on later Indian culture Goddesses of fertility Possible east/west distinctions 5 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 6. Mysterious End of Harappan Civilization Reasons for disappearance unclear Excessive deforestation, loss of topsoil Earthquakes? Flooding? Evidence of unburied dead Disappearance by 1500 BCE 6 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 7. The Aryan “Invasion” Aryans, lighter-skinned invaders from the north Dravidians, darker-skinned sedentary inhabitants of Harappa Color Bias Socio-Economic Implications Difficulty of theory: no evidence of large-scale military conquest 7 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 8. The Early Aryans Pastoral economy: sheep, goats, horses, cattle Vegetarianism not widespread until many centuries later Religious and Literary works: The Vedas Sanskrit: sacred tongue Prakrit: everyday language, evolved into Hindi, Urdu, Bengali Four Vedas, most important Rig Veda 1,028 hymms to gods 8 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 9. The Vedic Age Conflicts between Aryans and indigenous dasas (“enemies,” “subjects”) Aryans fighting Dravidians Also Aryans fighting each other Chiefdoms: Rajas Early concentration in Punjab, migrations further south Development of iron metallurgy Increasing reliance on agriculture Tribal connections evolve into political structures 9 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 10. Varna: The Caste System Origins in Aryan domination of Dravidians Brahmin, Priest Kshatriya, Warrior Vaishya, Merchant Sudra, Commoner Harijan: “Untouchables; Pariahs” Jati subsystem of castes Related to urbanization, increasing social and economic complexity 10 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 11. Brahmins from Bengal 11 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 12. Patriarchy in Ancient Indian Society “rule of the father” Enforced in the The Lawbook of Manu Overwhelmed Harappan matriarchy? Caste, Jati, inheritance through male line 12 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 13. Sati (“Suttee”) 13 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 14. Aryan Religion Major deity of Rig Veda: Indra, war god Elaborate ritual sacrifices to gods Role of Brahmins important C. 800 BCE some movement away from sacrificial cults Mystical thought, influenced by Dravidians 14 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.
- 15. Teachings of the Upanishads Texts that represent blending of Aryan and Dravidian traditions Composed 800-400 BCE, some later collections until 13th century CE Brahman: the Universal Soul Samsara: reincarnation Karma: accounting for incarnations Moksha: mystical ecstacy Relationship to system of Varna 15 Copyright © 2006 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display.