Indus River Civilization
Indus River Civilization Harappa & Mohenjo-‐Daro Global History November 1, 2011
Early Civilizations
Geography of India Vocabulary: Subcontinent- a large landmass that juts out from a continent (ex. India) Plateau- an area of high land, usually consisting of flat land Monsoons- seasonal winds that bring drenching daily rains to India in May and June of every year
Indus Valley p The Harappan culture existed along the Indus River
in what is now Pakistan. p The ciCes of Harappa and Mohenjo-‐Daro were important centers of the Indus Valley civilizaCon. p This Indus Valley civilizaCon flourished around 4000-‐1000 B.C….and then it just disappeared!
Natural Resources p The Indus Valley contained numerous natural
resources that were an important part of Harappan civilizaCon. p Resources included: Fresh water n Timber (trees for buildings) n Materials such as gold, silver, & precious stones (to trade) n
Himalayan Mountains p
Mountains provide a conCnuous source of water for the Indus River and its tributaries (feeder rivers).
Valleys p
p
p
Cedar in Chitral valley is sCll used to make houses and coffins, following a tradiCon that dates back to the first Indus ciCes. Beyond the mountains in the background is the region of Badakhshan, Afghanistan, a source of the deep blue lapis lazuli. This was mined during the Indus period and traded throughout the Indus Valley and to far off Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Mohenjo-‐Daro and Harappa
Cities Mohenjo-‐Daro and Harappa were part of a unified government with extreme organizaCon. n Both ciCes were constructed of the same type and shape of bricks. n The two ciCes may have existed at the same Cme, and their size suggest that they served as capitals of their provinces.
Mud bricks
Achievements p p p
URBAN PLANNING. Each city was laid out in a grid-‐like paZern. Think of ManhaZan…organizaCon. Plumbing: baths, drains, and water chutes led to sewers beneath the streets. CiCes had huge grain warehouses (called granaries) that stored grain brought in from surrounding areas.
Mohenjo-‐Daro p
p
This shows the high western mound made up of a massive mud brick pla[orm and brick houses of the Harappan period ( 2600 to 1900 B. C.). On top of the Harappan structures is a Buddhist period stupa made of mud brick that dates to the first century A.D.
The Great Bath p p
The "great bath" is the earliest public water tank. Two staircases lead down into the tank from the north and south and small sockets at the edges of the stairs are thought to have held wooden planks or treads.
Streets p
p
At Mohenjo-‐Daro, narrow streets and alleyways branch off the major streets, leading into more private neighborhoods. Many of the brick houses were two stories high, with thick walls and high ceilings to keep the rooms cool in the hot summer months.
Private Wells p
p
Private wells were rebuilt over many generaCons for large households and neighborhoods. This well in Mohenjo-‐ daro stands like a chimney because all of the surrounding earth has been removed by excavaCon.
Public Wells p p
A large public well and public bathing pla[orms were found in the southern part of Harappa. These public bathing areas may also have been used for washing clothes as is common in many tradiConal ciCes in Pakistan and India today.
Language p p p p
The Indus (or Harappan) people used a pictographic script. Some 3500 specimens of this script survive in many objects. In addiCon to the pictographic signs, the seals oden contain realisCc pictures of animals apparently worshipped as sacred. This material is important to the invesCgaCon of the Harappan language and religion, which conCnue to be puzzle scienCsts.
Indus River Civilization 1. What were the natural resources that allowed this civilizaCon to grow? 2. What do we know about Mohenjo-‐Daro and Harrappa? 3. What are some similariCes to modern-‐day ciCes?
Economic System p The Harappan civilizaCon was mainly urban and
mercanCle. p Inhabitants of the Indus valley traded with Mesopotamia, southern India, Afghanistan, and Persia for gold, silver, copper, and turquoise.
Trading Center
Harappa’s Craft Center p p
Inside the city is an area that has been idenCfied as a crads quarter. Large quanCCes of manufacturing debris have been found in this area indicaCng the presence of workshops for making stone beads, shell ornaments, glazed faience ornaments, stone tools and possibly even gold working.
Economy: Agriculture p The Mesopotamian model of irrigaCon was used to
take advantage of the ferCle grounds along the Indus River. p Earth walls were built to control the river's annual flooding. Crops grown included wheat, dates, barley, peas, melons, and sesame. p This civilizaCon was the first to culCvate coZon for the producCon of cloth. Several animals were raised on farms, including the elephant (used for its ivory).
Terraced Fields
Economy p p
Cubical weights in graduated sizes. These weights were found in recent excavaCons at Harappa and may have been used for controlling trade and possibly for collecCng taxes.
Religion p PolytheisCc
p Mother goddess was believed to be the source of all
creaCon p Worshipped sacred animals such as the bull leading to veneraCon p Had special regard for caZle
Collapse of Harappa’s Civilization p The de-‐urbanizaCon period of the Harappan
civilizaCon saw the collapse and disappearance of the urban phenomena in the South Asia. p The theme for this period is localizaCon. p Architectural and ceramic forms changed along with the loss of wriCng, planned seZlements, public sanitaCon, monumental architecture, seaborne and exoCc trade, and weights.
(McIntosh, 2002)
Theories of Collapse p Archaeologists have offered three main explanaCons
for the collapse of the Harappan civilizaCon. p Three are based on ecological factors: intense flooding, decrease in precipitaCon, and the drying up of the SarasvaC River. p One is based on a theory that Aryans from Europe invaded the area…
Indus River Civilization 4. How did these people make a living? 5. In what modern day country are the seZlements of the Indus River Valley civilizaCon located? 6. How do we know that the Indus Valley was sophisCcated? Be specific. 7. Why did this civilizaCon disappear?
References p p p p p
hZp://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html hZp://www.harappa.com/har/indus-‐saraswaC-‐geography.html hZp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_CivilizaCon hZp://www.geociCes.com/look4harappan/colapse.htm Mcintosh, Jane. 2002. A Peaceful realm. Boulder: Westview Press.
Indus River Civilization Harappa & Mohenjo-‐Daro Global History November 1, 2011
Early Civilizations
Geography of India Vocabulary: Subcontinent- a large landmass that juts out from a continent (ex. India) Plateau- an area of high land, usually consisting of flat land Monsoons- seasonal winds that bring drenching daily rains to India in May and June of every year
Indus Valley p The Harappan culture existed along the Indus River
in what is now Pakistan. p The ciCes of Harappa and Mohenjo-‐Daro were important centers of the Indus Valley civilizaCon. p This Indus Valley civilizaCon flourished around 4000-‐1000 B.C….and then it just disappeared!
Natural Resources p The Indus Valley contained numerous natural
resources that were an important part of Harappan civilizaCon. p Resources included: Fresh water n Timber (trees for buildings) n Materials such as gold, silver, & precious stones (to trade) n
Himalayan Mountains p
Mountains provide a conCnuous source of water for the Indus River and its tributaries (feeder rivers).
Valleys p
p
p
Cedar in Chitral valley is sCll used to make houses and coffins, following a tradiCon that dates back to the first Indus ciCes. Beyond the mountains in the background is the region of Badakhshan, Afghanistan, a source of the deep blue lapis lazuli. This was mined during the Indus period and traded throughout the Indus Valley and to far off Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Mohenjo-‐Daro and Harappa
Cities Mohenjo-‐Daro and Harappa were part of a unified government with extreme organizaCon. n Both ciCes were constructed of the same type and shape of bricks. n The two ciCes may have existed at the same Cme, and their size suggest that they served as capitals of their provinces.
Mud bricks
Achievements p p p
URBAN PLANNING. Each city was laid out in a grid-‐like paZern. Think of ManhaZan…organizaCon. Plumbing: baths, drains, and water chutes led to sewers beneath the streets. CiCes had huge grain warehouses (called granaries) that stored grain brought in from surrounding areas.
Mohenjo-‐Daro p
p
This shows the high western mound made up of a massive mud brick pla[orm and brick houses of the Harappan period ( 2600 to 1900 B. C.). On top of the Harappan structures is a Buddhist period stupa made of mud brick that dates to the first century A.D.
The Great Bath p p
The "great bath" is the earliest public water tank. Two staircases lead down into the tank from the north and south and small sockets at the edges of the stairs are thought to have held wooden planks or treads.
Streets p
p
At Mohenjo-‐Daro, narrow streets and alleyways branch off the major streets, leading into more private neighborhoods. Many of the brick houses were two stories high, with thick walls and high ceilings to keep the rooms cool in the hot summer months.
Private Wells p
p
Private wells were rebuilt over many generaCons for large households and neighborhoods. This well in Mohenjo-‐ daro stands like a chimney because all of the surrounding earth has been removed by excavaCon.
Public Wells p p
A large public well and public bathing pla[orms were found in the southern part of Harappa. These public bathing areas may also have been used for washing clothes as is common in many tradiConal ciCes in Pakistan and India today.
Language p p p p
The Indus (or Harappan) people used a pictographic script. Some 3500 specimens of this script survive in many objects. In addiCon to the pictographic signs, the seals oden contain realisCc pictures of animals apparently worshipped as sacred. This material is important to the invesCgaCon of the Harappan language and religion, which conCnue to be puzzle scienCsts.
Indus River Civilization 1. What were the natural resources that allowed this civilizaCon to grow? 2. What do we know about Mohenjo-‐Daro and Harrappa? 3. What are some similariCes to modern-‐day ciCes?
Economic System p The Harappan civilizaCon was mainly urban and
mercanCle. p Inhabitants of the Indus valley traded with Mesopotamia, southern India, Afghanistan, and Persia for gold, silver, copper, and turquoise.
Trading Center
Harappa’s Craft Center p p
Inside the city is an area that has been idenCfied as a crads quarter. Large quanCCes of manufacturing debris have been found in this area indicaCng the presence of workshops for making stone beads, shell ornaments, glazed faience ornaments, stone tools and possibly even gold working.
Economy: Agriculture p The Mesopotamian model of irrigaCon was used to
take advantage of the ferCle grounds along the Indus River. p Earth walls were built to control the river's annual flooding. Crops grown included wheat, dates, barley, peas, melons, and sesame. p This civilizaCon was the first to culCvate coZon for the producCon of cloth. Several animals were raised on farms, including the elephant (used for its ivory).
Terraced Fields
Economy p p
Cubical weights in graduated sizes. These weights were found in recent excavaCons at Harappa and may have been used for controlling trade and possibly for collecCng taxes.
Religion p PolytheisCc
p Mother goddess was believed to be the source of all
creaCon p Worshipped sacred animals such as the bull leading to veneraCon p Had special regard for caZle
Collapse of Harappa’s Civilization p The de-‐urbanizaCon period of the Harappan
civilizaCon saw the collapse and disappearance of the urban phenomena in the South Asia. p The theme for this period is localizaCon. p Architectural and ceramic forms changed along with the loss of wriCng, planned seZlements, public sanitaCon, monumental architecture, seaborne and exoCc trade, and weights.
(McIntosh, 2002)
Theories of Collapse p Archaeologists have offered three main explanaCons
for the collapse of the Harappan civilizaCon. p Three are based on ecological factors: intense flooding, decrease in precipitaCon, and the drying up of the SarasvaC River. p One is based on a theory that Aryans from Europe invaded the area…
Indus River Civilization 4. How did these people make a living? 5. In what modern day country are the seZlements of the Indus River Valley civilizaCon located? 6. How do we know that the Indus Valley was sophisCcated? Be specific. 7. Why did this civilizaCon disappear?
References p p p p p
hZp://www.harappa.com/har/har0.html hZp://www.harappa.com/har/indus-‐saraswaC-‐geography.html hZp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_CivilizaCon hZp://www.geociCes.com/look4harappan/colapse.htm Mcintosh, Jane. 2002. A Peaceful realm. Boulder: Westview Press.
Indus River Civilization Harappa & Mohenjo-‐Daro Global History November 1, 2011
