Harappan Civilization

Harappan society and its neighbors, ca. 2000 B.C.E.

Harappan Location

• Northwest India/Pakistan

• Indus River Valley

Harappan Culture • Writing on bricks and

seals– we cannot read the

writing– So… who knows?

Mohenjo-daro : aerial view

Mohenjo-daro view of the “Citadel”

The “Great Bath”

another view of the “Great Bath”

view of a small, side street

looks like a small tower, but actually it is a neighborhood well

A bathroom on a private residence

A public well in Harappa, or perhaps an ancient laundromat...

A large drain or sewer

Harappan granary

A priest? A bull

Disappearance• Not sure why

– Changes in Monsoons– Indo-European invasion– Changes in river flow

The Aryan Invasion

• Indo-Europeans• Light-skinned• Spoke Sanskrit• Brought:– Hinduism– Caste System

Sanskrit

• Descended from the Indo-European mother language

• Closely related to Greek and Latin

The Vedas

• Means “knowledge”• Aryan oral tradition• Later written down• The sacred text for Hinduism

India’s First Empires

The Mauryan Empire is Established

321 BC - Chandragupta Maurya overthrew the Nanda king and established the Mauryan Empire.

He defeated several of Alexander the Great’s generals to unite north India.

He divided the empire into 4 provinces, each headed by a royal prince. Each province was divided into districts, where officials taxed & enforced the law.

Buddhism is Promoted Chandragupta’s grandson Asoka assumed

the throne in 269 BC. He promoted Buddhism as the state

religion to atone for a bloody battle he waged on Kalinga that killed over 100,000 people.

Across the empire he erected stone pillars with his non-violent edicts and laws urging religious tolerance.

He also built roads so he could visit the far corners of his empire.

As noble as his intentions were, they failed to hold the empire together after his death in 232 BC.

A Period of Turmoil Asoka’s death left a power struggle –

the kingdom of central India regained its independence under the Andhra Dynasty.

Northern India had to face a flood of refugees from other areas of Asia that were in political turmoil.

These people disrupted Indian society but also brought new elements to the culture.

Southern India was home to three kingdoms that had not been conquered by the Mauryans

They were often at war with each other and with other states.

The Gupta Empire is Established Chandra Gupta arose after 500

years of turmoil. He did not come to power

through battle, but rather through marrying into an influential family.

His son, Samudra, expanded the empire through 40 years of conquest

Chandra Gupta II added coastal territories to the empire, allowing them to trade with people to the west.

Spread of Indian Trade India has always been known for natural

resources, especially spices, diamonds, sapphires, gold, pearls, and beautiful woods.

Trade was carried out along routes that carried as far west as Turkey.

One of these routes was the Silk Road from China to Rome.

Increased trade led to the rise of banking in Europe which would help bring an end to the Dark Ages in Europe

Later - Sea trade encouraged the spice trade to Europe (this will be why America is discovered)

Trade also causes Buddhism to spread to Nepal, Tibet, China and Japan.