SHIMA KOMURA AND LIBBY VAN ROOYEN

Ancient India

http://www.town.hull.ma.us/public_documents/hullma_memclass/swatson/014E628A-000F8513.2/Ancient-India.jpg

Map of Civilization

This map is set in 600 B.C.

Mahjanapadas were ancient kingdoms or countries .

Harrapan ( 3000 - 1500 BCE)

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Background

Ancient India is known for its vibrant colours and delectable cuisine.

There were many stages of Ancient India:

Stone Age... Before 3300 BC

Mehrgarh CultureIndus Valley

Civilization (which wa s a very big civilization)

Late Harappan Culture

The Iron AgePart way through the

Middle KingdomsThe Ancient Indians

started out with nothing, but slowly found ways to cook, clean, build and make technology.

Social Structure As time passed, another category was made, called the Chandalas. That category was considered ‘outcasts’ and were not permitted to live in villages except to collect manure. The system started in late days of Magadhan imperialism. Religions like Buddism and Janism were against this caste system, which converted groups of people.

The Rid-Veda was a holy book, that divided the society into four different castes. The Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (rulers or warriors), Vaishyas (business people and originally farmers), Shudras (or common labourers).

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Brahmins Class/ Kshatriyas Class

Brahmins, as teachers (instructed mankind), were highly respected. The Brahmins conducted the daily rights, the purification ceremonies, and sacrifices. The language they spoke was Sanskrit, the language from the holy books.

Kshatriyas were warriors and kings. Their role in society was to protect their village from harm and were to be fearless and brave. Young men of Kshatriyas studied with gurus on holy texts to become “twice born.”

Vaishya Class/ Shudra Class

The Vaishya class were traders or merchants. Their job was to ensure the communities through agriculture, cattle raising and trade. As time passed, they eventually just became traders/merchants. Guilds were formed, like ‘trade unions’ to provide information.

The Shudra class were laborers, in short terms, slaves. They took over the jobs of farming, herding, and cattle raising. They were not permitted to study with a guru, be “twice born”, or learn holy texts. Meaning no traditional education was given.

Chandala Class

The Chandala class was not considered to be part of society. They were outcasts and were not permitted into villages except for night, to collect manure. It was considered to be contaminating and ‘polluting’ to be in contact with the Chandalas. When in the streets of the village at night, a broom was attached to their backs so there was no traces of them left behind, as well as a cup tied around their necks so no spit will come in contact on the village grounds. Surprisingly, some musicians were put into this class but they still performed.

Housinghttp://www.timeline-architectural-models.com/Ubaid%20House%209.jpg

Houses in ancient India were usually one or two stories high. They were made of baked bricks, with flat roofs and each was built with courtyards. There were windows looking out the courtyard, although outside walls had no windows. This was mainly in the Indus Valley civilization that was in the times around 3000 – 2500 BCE. It was an advanced civilization enough to have a private drinking well and a bathroom. Pipes were made out of clay that drained into nearly rivers and streams.

Wealth

Ancient India had a fascinatingly big amount of gems, pears and other valuable items, so it was a pretty wealthy country overall. The wealthiest people bought the finest silk, linen and food, while the poor people had to work for money for even the bare minimum of food.

http://goldprice.org/buying-gold/2009/06/indian-gold-bullion.html

FoodsWheat was used to make flat breads known as ‘Chapatti’, becoming the habits of people in ancient India to eat with meals. During religious times, animal sacrifices peaked making many people turn vegetarian.

Ancient Indians ate foods that came from nature like vegetables, fruits, meat, wheat for the average people of India. For the average meals, rice was often in the meal with cooked lentils. Rice was also eaten with curd and yogurt, as India developed to milk and dairy products

http://www.travelsnt.com/Images/india_food.jpg

Family LifeWhen the patriarch of the family died, the eldest son replaced his authority, although all the properties was divided between all sons of the family. Women were not permitted to inherit property or participate in sacrifices for gods. A women’s presence for a sacrifice was considered as pollution.

The father of the family in ancient Indian families ultimately made all the decisions. 3 or 4 generations of the family would life together under one house, while the wives and daughters did most of the housework.

http://www.sights-and-culture.com/India-country/India-village1.jpg

Marriage

Women had to marry early

Marriage for a man was a symbol for reaching a stage in life

Parents chose a bride for the man

Was very unlikely for there to be a parting of a couple before death

At first, it was more common for a girl to be married over age 12, but closer to medieval times it was common for a girl to get married at age 6 or 8.

MARRIAGE WAS COMPULSORY FOR ALL GIRLS, EXCEPT THE ONES WHO CHOSE ASCETICISM (A LIFESTYLE OF ABSTINENCE

AND REACHING OF A HIGH SPIRITUAL GOAL.

Marriage Continued

Childbirth

Childbirth was a very big risk to take because it had a high chance of fatality. In Ancient India, nearly every women was supposed to produce a child. Women, especailly in high castes, would be treated with ease luxury while they were pregnant so they could live their lives before if they didn’t make it through labour. Many rituals and chants were to be done close to the end of the pregnancy, and the gender of the child was supposed to be revealed through those rituals.

Childhood

Only Brahman men, priests and leaders, were allowed to go to school (not Brahman women)

It was not easy for children. They had no slaves, not very much money, and they had their planned out for them (for the girls, anyways)

http://www.3014art.info/child-wall-murals.html

Childbirth Continued

Even closer to the child’s birth, the husband of the house untied all knots and he made a special liquid mixed of ghee, honey and curds to be placed on the baby’s mouth so it would be the first taste of life when the baby is born.

Canadian ChildrenCanadian Children Ancient Indian ChildrenAncient Indian Children

Some have maids Everyone goes to

schoolCould choose for

what job they wished to do

Only a few live in complete poverty

Had to work themselves

Only some special ones went to school

Some people are slaves

Some live in poverty

Childhood (Canada, India)

Clothing

Northern and Southern India had different fashions.

In Northern India women and men wore unstitched garment called dhoti. It was a 9 meter long cloth that draped around the legs and tied at the abdomen. Women wore bright, vibrant colours India has been known for, while men wore generally dark colours or white. Since there were no banks during ancient India, the ‘fortune’ of the family, both sexes wore the jewels as a part of their clothing. Jewels included armbands, waist belts, leg and ankle bangles for both sexes, ear rings, nose rings, rings on fingers and toes, crowns and other hair adornments.

http://www.vii.in/images/D/dhoti%20kurta/Dhoti%20Kurta-5.jpg

EducationEvery subject taught was math, science, engineering, literature, art, music, and religion. The studies were rigorous, and often very hard.

Education was passed down generation to generation through writings or just by talking. Schools were often taken place in temples making the gurus teach the children. At first, it was only the sons in high classes that learned education, but as Buddhism spread throughout India, it became available to everyone.

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Religion: Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion that started in ancient India, in Magadha, India. It was based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, a prince. As a prince, he was brought up in luxurious ways of living, but one day he abandoned his home becoming an religious beggar to search the meaning of existence. He was in great self-denial, one point almost starving himself to death. To reject the feeling of hunger, or anything else he started teaching himself meditation techniques.

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Buddhism

Over the years, Gautama achieved the knowledge of the Four Noble Truths (All of life is suffering; the cause of suffering is desire; the end of desire leads to the end of suffering and the means to end desire is a path of discipline and meditation.). Gautama became a Buddha, and died at the age eighty. As hundreds of years passed, communities started learning Gautama’s teachings, and adding on to this religion.

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Religion: Hinduism

Hinduism was one of the main religions in Ancient India for over 2000 years. It basically means “the eternal law.” It believes highly in karma and good will, so if you do something good, the gods will give you good luck, or if you do something bad, the gods will frown upon you and give you bad luck.

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God

A common god in Ancient India was Buddha. He resembled a large, bald man who usually had an item with him. It is believed that if you rub his belly and make a wish, it will come true. This god led to the religion Buddhism, which is focused on peace and kindness.

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/

ClothingHinduism was also believed in this part of India, making the number of peoples possessions very few. Men wore a loin cloth and a cloth to protect their head from the sun. Jewellery was also never worn.

In Southern India, it was completely different. Women wore saris. A saris is a single cloth wrapped around the body that covered the woman head to toe, because in the Southern part of India was thought that Indian women should be covered from head to toe.

http://z.about.com/d/hinduism/1/0/2/V/1.jpghttp://public-domain.zorger.com/daphnis-and-chloe/31-boy-in-loin-cloth-offering-a-drink-to-bare-breasted-girl.jpg

Festivals

The colourful festival of ‘Holi’ was celebrated on a full moon day in the month of Phalunga (March), during the spring season. This was celebrated in North of India.It was the day when all the castes and gender differences were forgotten the festival was jut celebrated. This festival was not celebrated in the Southern part of India, but similar festivals were celebrated.

South India celebrated festivals in the honour of god love karma, and celebrated on the same day as the festival of ‘Holi’.

http://www.sulekha.com/mstore/innervoice/albums/Photos/prahlad.jpg

Arts, Music Dancing was a part of this civilization, often dancing female statues were found, most likely belly dancing.

The craftsmen for the people in ancient India, used iron and copper to create statues. Most of the statues were female goddesses, and used bronze and silver to create bowls. They were skilled in pottery and weaving. The designs in pottery were unusually beautiful with high quality clay. The designs were animals, such as monkeys.

http://www.ralphmag.org/CH/buddha-statue-color443x386.gif

Arts, Music

In ancient India, musical instruments were made, most likely for rituals and ceremonies and festivals. They were extant musical works of liturgical music. The musical style was contemporary, like a 7 holed flute was used to create contemporary type of music. Stringed instruments were also made, back to the Indus Valley civilization.

http://www.butterflyflutes.com/middle-eastern-F-sharp-padauk.jpg

Conclusion

Like all Ancient Civilizations, India had its many special features. Quite a few of the modern world’s favourite things derived from Ancient India such as belly dancing, Indian food, and spices like cinnamon, ginger, curry spice, and vanilla. It was a very unique culture, too. It built its civilization on what very little things they had and it became a very large one.

http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/country/india.php?Page=4

Picture Bibliography

http://www.town.hull.ma.us/public_documents/hullma_memclass/swatson/014E628A-000F8513.2/Ancient-India.jpg

http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/austin/img/big/Ancient_india.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/2581574676_16bc93f73d_o.jpg

Information Bibliography

http://www.sfusd.edu/schwww/sch618/india/class_caste.html

http://india.mrdonn.org/indus.htmlhttp://www.iloveindia.com/history/ancient-india/

food.htmlhttp://www.indianchild.com/

buddhism_in_india.htmhttp://www.emayzine.com/lectures/

notesonindia.htmhttp://www.indiaedu.com/history-education-

india.html

Information Bibliography 2

http://www.iloveindia.com/history/ancient-india/food.html

http://indian-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/marriage_in_ancient_india

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttp://india.mrdonn.org/gupta.htmlhttp://www.webonautics.com/ethnicindia/

festivals/holi.htmlhttp://india.mrdonn.org/indus.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_in_ancient_India