CHAPTER 2 INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION Fairly flat– farming is easier on flat land Soft soil – land is easier to plough The rich mud ‘silt’ from the mountains made the valley land fertile when flooded. Hot climate – It results in production of 2 or 3 harvest a year. Food along river bank Animals could easily be hunted The soil near river never dried out In 1850s British engineers found the old bricks/ruins while building Lahore-Multan Railway. A few years later, a British Archaeologist, in search for Buddhist shrines found Harrapan bricks, pottery, stone tools, seal with writing during excavation. In 1922, an Indian Architect R D Banerji found Mohenjodaro to the south of Harrapa. Highly urban ‘developed’ 400.000 people lived. Area of 60 Hectares Settlements include Kalibangan, Lothal (India), Chanhudaro (Nawabshah) and Harappa River Indus and its tributaries was the Central Area . 1400 settlements (village and cities) – 900 in India , 500 in Pakistan., 1 in Afghanistan A peaceful Civilization ◦ No royal tombs ◦ no evidence of army or military ◦ No artefacts with pictures of war Civilization was ruled by the group of people – rich merchants, land owners, priest. Known as twin cities—build in same size and plan, same bricks (kiln-fired) Pre-planned good drainage systemUse of clay pipes 2 meter high inspection holes Main Areas: Citadel ---- place for public buildings ---Lower Town---- place for houses and businesses Grand Buildings :The great bath Granary *rich houses-30 rooms,poor-2 room apartement *workshops for craftsmen—made beads, metal objects, pottery,cloth The Great Bath : Grandest building------------------12 m long: 7m wide : 2.4m deep (like a swimming pool) Lined with the layer of bitumen (natural tar to make it water proof) At each end they were steps and drain hole at one end. Around the edge were rooms with small bath with wills. It was perhaps used by priest. The Granary: Huge building : 45m long : 23 wide It had high brick base. Huge pieces of woods were kept in criss-cross pattern on it. It is believed that it was used for grain storage due to fresh air system. How were towns and cities run? Main Areas: ---Citadel ---- place for public buildings Raised high : gives complete view of the lower town. ---Lower Town---- place for houses and businesses Terracotta “mother goddess Priest king in life hereafter. Seals with figures of gods, woman with horns near papal tree, man with three faces, terracotta figurines: mother goddess Few graves that shows bodies have been burned or given river burial – pots that held food or water : People believed Main crops: Cotton – woven into cloth Grain crops--- wheat, barley, millet Mustard and sesame--- for cooking Vegetables: peas, chick peas Fruits: banana, melons, dates Domesticated animals: cattle, goats, sheep, chicken, rabbits, dogs, cats, ducks andhumped zebu –provided leather, meat, milk, wool,etc. Animals for labour: elephants, horses, asses. Buffalo, oxen Animals for hunting: gazelle, antelops, wild boars, rhinoceros, wild elephants, leopards, tigers and fish Household items were made from wood, pottery, bronze, gold, silver, lead, tin and copper Potters made figurines of humans and animals on potter’s wheel. Blue glazed pottery were found. Bronze was used to make saws, adzes, chisels, gouges, statues and bowls. statue of a dancing girl bronze Rich People’s jewellery was made from gold, silver, ivory, blue jade* and blue lapis lazuli* (* from Afghanistan), carnelian stone (from Gujrat) Poor People’s jewellery was made sea-shell, bones, copper, bronze and soapstone WHY DO YOU THINK THAT EARLY CIVILISATIONS BEGAN NEAR RIVERS? NAME TWO MAIN BUILDINGS FOUND IN INDUS VALLEY. NAME TWO MAIN AREAS OF INDUS VALLEY. INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION WHERE DID INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION BEGIN? NAME TWO MAIN AREAS? WHO DO YOU THINK USED TO LIVE ON CITEDAL AND WHY WAS IT RAISED HIGH? DO YOU THINK PEOPLE OF INDUS VALLEY HAD RELIGIOUS BELIEF? LIST THE CROPS GROWN IN INDUS VALLEY. Commonly used—more than 2000 seals were found Strange figures, animals (bulls, crocodile, unicorn, elephants tigers, etc. )and writings on the seals and a knob on the back Made of steatite ‘soap stone’ (a soft gray green or brown stone) Maybe used as amulets or trademark. Historians believed Indus Valley people were the first one to develop writing. Found that writing was scratched on jars Not related to writing of other civilization Around 250-500 characters. Written from right to left. Imports: Gold --- Southern India Silver--- Afghanistan, North-west india, Mesopotamia Lapis lazuli--- Afghanistan Turqiouse –iran Tin – Persia Carnelian – Gujrat Export: Food metals(tin, lead, copper, gold, silver) Timber Cotton ivory carnelian beads Weights animals(peacock, cats, monkeys) Main centers : Mohenjodaro and Harappa Goods were carried on flats bottomed boats with made of cotton cloth. Two-wheeled ox-carts were a common means of transport. Set of cubical weights have been found on seven gate ways This shows that it is used for weighing goods. It’s believed that at city gates some goods were taken by the official as a tax. Historians don’t exactly know. Here are some assumptions Terrible disease killed people Invaders ‘ Aryans’ destroyed Flood Earth quake Population grew large --- people starved SHARE ANY ONE FACT RELETED TO INDUS VALLEY WRITING WITH YOUR PARTNER. TELL ANY ONE REASON FOR THE DECLINE OF INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION Location: Southern part of the land between the tigris and Euphrates. Later, it was called Mesopotamia --- the land between rivers. (part of Iraq) SUMERIAN CIVILISATION ON THE MAP, LOCATE PAKISTAN, ITS NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY TO THE SOUTH WEST, AND NEXT NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY TO ITS WEST. Do you know the ancient name of IRAQ? In 3000 BC , several cities have grown :l Eridu, Uruk , Ur Each city had strong walls or a moat. Cities weren’t planned. Smaller than Indus Valley cities. Upto, 10,000 people lived. Purpose of life was to serve Gods and Goddesses who were thought to own the city. Each city had a special god in the temple who was thought to take care of a city. Due to war later the head of armies had got power so they started ruling the city with the priest. Sumerian prince Large temples with several rooms and staircases.--- only high priest was allowed to go to the home of the god. Rent was paid to the god in form of farm produce and animals to keep the city save from war and flooding. This was the reason that priest became powerful. Enki (god of water) Ninbursag (mother goddess) w/o Enlil Enlil- (God of air) h/o Ninbursag Inanna (ishtar) (goddess of love and war Nanna (sin) (moon god) Enlil’s son Utu (sin) (sun god) nanna’s son In 1920s, British Archeologist Sr. Leonard found 450 graves at Ur. One grave was called DEATH PIT --- it had 73 skeletons and `the body of a king-Mes kalam shar At one corner a stone tomb was built, here the body of king with food, water and treasures were kept. Carnelian beads, helmets and swords were there too. Men, women, servantscourtiers walked down the grave with soldiers and musicians and drank poison. Wheels were made with the sliced trunk. Potter’s wheel was invented. Animals were used for ploughing Sails were fitted to the boats. Boats were made with plaited reeds covered with bitumen. Formed lunar calendar Were the first scientist and studied stars and try to forecast floods. Worked out the system of arithmetic for calculation of taxes. The number system was based on sixty--- 60 secs. In a minute : 60 mins. In an hour, 360 degree circle. 1000s of clay tablets were found with cuneiform writing done by pressing reed in a wet clay . Writing was fired to keep it safe. Lots of learning about this civilization was done through their writing. Made of sun dried bricks strengthened with straws and reeds. Rich people live in two storey Poor people lived in small rooms of one floor. No drains for the wastage instead deep pit were built. Harbour and warehouse was built on the river. Following were traded: Farm goods Cloth Timber ---from Lebanon Stone minerals silver and copper from Asia minor and Sinai *WATER FIGHTS *INVADERS SHARE ANY 5 THINGS ABOUT SUMERIANS WITH YOUR PARTNER EGYPTIAN CIVILISATION NAME THE LONGEST RIVER? WHERE IS IT SITUATED? By 5000BC, towns and villages grew up near River Nile. Lasted for 3000 years : had several heights at different times. By 3200BC, there were two Kingdoms : Lower and Upper Egypt : later, upper Egypt conquered the lower town and two kingdoms were merged. The king Pharaoh ruled United Kingdom. In the period of old kingdom, Pyramids were built at Giza. A model boat found inside the tomb Believed in gods and built temples --around 2000 gods. Most important God ‘RA’ the sun god. Nut—godess of sky Set—god of deserts, storm, trouble Believed that pharaoh is a living god. Believed in life hereafter—things including food, water, chariots, treasure and models of servant were kept in the tomb near the dead person. Jackal headed god, Horus Rich people were buried in tombs after the bodies are mummified so that the soul KA could live inside the body in the life hereafter. Process: Heart was left but the other organs were removed. The body was dried up with a special salt for 40 days. The organs were dried to and kept in the tomb. The body is then wrapped in linen bandages putting amulets and onion in dead persons hand. The mummy was then put into a coffin with a portrait of a dead person painted so that KA spirit would recognized. Between 2700 – 1640 BC eight were built with stones Pharaohs were often buried in it. Largest pyramid is at Giza- built by 100,000 men in 20 years – 51 hectares—146 m high – 2300,000 limestone blocks were used to built. Writing system called hieroglyphics ‘signs pictures’ 700 signs Writing sources is preserved due to desert air such as papyrus-an Egyptian paper (made by flattening reed stem set in crisscross pattern Historians understand Egyptian writing. Agriculture: Instrument ‘nilometer’ was invented to measure the depth of nile flood water. Shaduf was made to raise water Time: Egyptians divided the year in 365 days and 24 hours. Science: Development of mathematics and architecture Developed medicines. Onset of famines Misguided pharoahs Invaders – Libyans and Assyrians