INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION at Right Angles
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STUDY NOTES SPECIALLY FOR SSC - CHSL HISTORY INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION at right angles. The drains were lined with Human inhabitation in the Indian bricks and manholes to facilitate regular subcontinent is traced to the Paleolithic cleaning. This speaks highly of the and Neolithic period. Dated from about civilization's advanced nature. 2500 to 1500 BC. This civilization is The citadel was the main part of the city considered to be at par with the other built on a raised platform. It consisted civilizations of the world . of public buildings, a bath, granaries Sir John Marshal, the director general and quarters for providing shelter to the of archaeology with his team excavated persons propagating religion. The planning sites at Sind and Punjab. The ruins at of the city brings to light the existence Mohenjodaro in the Larkana district of of an active and efficient bureaucracy to Sind in the lower Indus and at Harappa administer the activities of the city. Around the citadel was spread the remaining part of the city where the common people dwelt and pursued their profession. Houses were well planned and was built on both sides of the street. it had flat roofs and were connected by stairs to the upper storeys. They had thick walls and windows were few. Every house had a kitchen with a fireplace and large jars for storing grains or keeping other articles of use. The roofs of houses were flat. each house had bathrooms with a system of on the banks of the Ravi has brought to covered drains connected to the main light the existence of the Indus valley drain of the street. A courtyard and a well civilization. These excavations were were the special. features that brings to further supported by the discovery in light the system of planning existing then. 1931 at Chanhudaro near Mohenjodaro. (b) Society Traces of the Indus valley civilization was Society in the Indus valley civilization discovered at Rupar in Ambala district is said to have comprised of three and Rangpur, and Lothal in Saurashtra, distinct social groups. One group ruled Bharatpur in Rajasthan, Kalibangan in and administered the city, the other the Burdwan district of West Bengal are a group included the merchants who were proof of the existence of the Indus valley associated with trade and other business civilization. Harappa being the main activities in the city. The third group source of knowledge about the civilization were the labourers who worked in the historians also call this civilization as the city. They also included the farmers who Harappan culture. cultivated wheat and barley as their main (a) Town Planning crops. Animals like the buffaloes, sheeps The ruins of Mohenjodaro provides and pigs and the humped bull were bred. evidence to confirm the existence of a Fish, mutton, beef, poultry and pork system of planning in the city. The streets consisted the food they ate. Animals like were broad and straight cutting each other the elephant, camels and dogs were also Write us : content @mahendras.org www.mahendras.org www.mahendraguru.com myshop.mahendras.org [2] STUDY NOTES SPECIALLY FOR SSC - CHSL domesticated. The discovery of a large resembling shapes such as interesting number of clay spindles suggest the use of circles, pipal, leaves, peacocks were on it. cotton besides woolen and linen fabrics. The discovery of numerous seals made of Men also seemed to have worn ornaments clay with figures of animals like the tiger, like fillets, necklaces, finger rings and rhinoceros, elephant and crocodile gives armlets. Women were fond of ornaments us more information of the significance of like earrings, bangles, bracelets, necklaces, these animals in the Harappan society. girdles and anklets made of shell, beads, These seals also have inscriptions in gold and silver and copper. Razors, pictographic script. bronze mirrors and combs made of ivory Agriculture with domesticating animals speaks of the people interest in personal was a major occupation. The location of upkeep. Toys like the whistle and carts granaries near river, where the civilization besides puppets, rattles and dolls made of itself flourished was an important feature. terracotta speaks greatly about the attitude The ornaments of these period worn of the people in child care. People enjoyed by both men and women reflects the playing in dice and marble. Gambling was skilled craftsmanship of the people in the a favourite past time of the elder members Harappan culture. in the society. (d) Trade (c) Occupation The Indus valley people maintained The discovery of various equipments commercial contacts with Egypt and such as axes, knives, spears and daggers Crete, Mesopotamia and the towns in made of bronze and copper suggest metal the Persian Gulf. Excavations at Lothal work as a major profession commonly reveals the existence of a dock supporting pursued in the towns. Copper was used the activities of trade in that period. Trade for making weapons and utensils besides also existed with Northern Afghanistan ornaments. Spinning, weaving and pottery from where the Harappans bought the also formed important occupation. Pottery famous blue gemstones,' Lapiz Lazuli'. in red with designs painted in black Write us : content @mahendras.org www.mahendras.org www.mahendraguru.com myshop.mahendras.org [3] STUDY NOTES SPECIALLY FOR SSC - CHSL (e) Religion Discovered by R.D.Banerjee in 1922. The clay seals discovered during Excavated by K.N.Dikshit in 1925-26. excavation reveals the presence of a Literal meaning in Sindhi - "the mound of male god. The figure of a female god also dead". Situated in Larkana district of Sind suggest their beliefs on the female was in Pakistan. Evidence of devastation by source of creation. The seal with a male flood. Considered one of the capitals of the god wearing a head dress surrounded by Indus civilization. The largest of the Indus various animals exhorts the belief in the cities, grid system-entire city divided male symbol of strength. The Indus valley into two the citadel and the lower town. people cremated their death. This idea has Identified with Hariyupiya of Rigveda. been established owing to the discovery Findings of many urns containing human bones Great Bath, Granary, College, Assembly and ashes. In general it can be derived that hall (all made of Win burnt bricks), worship of the forces of nature in its lively Steatite figure of Bearded Priest (presumed forms such as stones, strong animals was to be a priest), Bronze Dancing Girl, the religion they followed. This must Brnonze Buffalo, Cylindrical Seals Of have been the principles upon which the Mesopotamian Types, A piece of woven present day Hinduism has prescribed as cloth,Terracotta figurine of a horse and its principles. Evidence of cotton. The Indus valley civilization is believed HARAPPA to belong to the copper stone age as the The first site to be discovered in 1921. presence of iron tools and implements has Excavated by Daya Ram Sahni. Situated not yet been established at any part of this in Montogomery district of West Punjab civilization. in Pakistan. Evidence of Pre-Harappan Archaeological excavation indicates phases of culture. Town planning on that the Indus valley civilization could grid pattern and division of entire city have flourished in about 300 BC much before the existence of other West Asian civilization. Contacts with the civilization of Mesopotamia, Elam and Babylon can be deduced by the discovery of the Indus valley clay seals, pottery there. This suggests that the civilization flourished from about 3000 BC to 1500 BC. Anthropological investigation and examination of the human remains shows that four racial types existed in intocitadel and lower town. this civilization. They were the proto - Findings Australiod, Mediterranean, Alpine and the Evidence of coffin burial. Granaries (out Mongoloid. Archaeological excavation side the citadel) six each in two rows, reveal the existence of various racial Working platforms, circular in shape to the types. Of all these the existence of the .south of the granaries, meant for thrashing Dravidian race holds its relevance owing grains. Single roomed barracks, seem to to its wide spread acceptance. have housed labourers. A few cemeteries MOHENJODARO particularly cemetery R 37 and century 11. Write us : content @mahendras.org www.mahendras.org www.mahendraguru.com myshop.mahendras.org [4] STUDY NOTES SPECIALLY FOR SSC - CHSL civilizations. An artificial dockyard, situated east of the city, built of burnt- bricks and almost rectangular in shape. Here a house had front entrance. Findings Evidence of use of rice (1800 B.C.) husk found, Persian gulf seals, Shell-ornament makers shop, Bead makers shop, Metal workers' shop, Fire altars, A doubtful terracotta of horse, A ware house, Tusks of elephants. CHANHUDARO Bronze sculpture of a dog chasing a deer. Situated in Sind. Excavated by Terracotta and bronze models of carts or M.G.Majumdar first in 1931. Evidence of Ekkas. Two stone sculptures, a nude male Pre-Harappan culture known as "Jhangar torso of red sandstone and a nude dancing culture" and "Jhukar culture". A big centre male figure of grey stone. of bead-making, shell and bone-working KALIBANGAN and seal making. The only Indus site Situated in Ganganagar District of without a citadel. Rajasthan. Excavated by A.Ghosh in 1953 Findings and termed it as Sothi culture. Evidence Bead Makers, shop, Metal workers' shop, of proto Harappan and Harappan phases. Shell ornament maker's shop, An inkpot, Both the citadel and the lower town were Models of bullock-carts and ikkas of fortified. Literal meaning"Black Bangles'". bronze, Carts with seated driver. House built mostly of sun dried bricks. Absence of mother goddess figurines. Furrow field (evidence of ploughing). Fire altars (fire cult). A bangle factory. DHOLAVIRA Situated in Gujarat in Kuchch district.