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Ancient India ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. The Indian Subcontinent The Emergence of Civilization in India: Harappan Society Geography Mixture of people Harappan Civilization: A Fascinating Enigma Harappa in the Punjab Mohenjo-Daro (City of the Dead) near the mouth of the Indus Political and Social Structure Villages in the Indus valley: 6500 - 7000 B.C.E. Harappa a city more than 3 ½ mile in circumference with wall over 40 feet thick City life in Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro Government, religion, agriculture and trade Harappan Culture Pottery, sculpture, clay seals ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. Ancient Harappan Civilization Note the growth of cities in river plains. Mohenjo-Daro A computergenerated reconstruction has brought a small area of Mohenjo-daro back to life. (Lost Civilizations by Austen Atkinson, p. 179 - 188) ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. The City of Mohenjo-Daro Arrival of the Aryans Harappan civilization destroyed about 1500 B.C.E. Invasion by Aryans Social decay Epidemic or natural phenomena The Early Aryans Indo-European nomads from Siberia and the steppes of Central Asia Into the Indus valley 1500-1000 B.C.E. Use of iron A writing system Led by a chieftain called a raja (prince) that was later transformed into kings called maharajas (great princes) • Prince did not have absolute power • Required to follow dharma (laws that set behavior standards) Arrival of the Persian Empire, Arrival of Alexander the Great, 326 B.C.E. The Mauryan Empire Chandragupta Maurya (324-301 B.C.E.) The Arthasastra, a treatise on politics Highly centralized and despotic government •Provinces ruled by governors •Division of power at lower levels Caste and Class: Social Structures in Ancient India The Class System An issue of color Varna (color or caste)– reflected informal division of labor and rigid social classification for occupation and status Caste taboos Jati – kinship group, of a specific caste, living in a specific area, doing a specific task Changes over time Daily Life and The Economy in Ancient India Family the basic unit of society Commemorative rites to ancestors Father-son relationship Males inherit property Position of women Before the law In marriage Exceptions Most Aryans were farmers Iron plow Differing status of farmers Problems farmers faced Developed trade and manufacturing The Religious World of Ancient India: Hinduism Indo-European in origin from the Aryans Vedas – four collections of hymns and religious ceremonies Dyaus Indra, Varuna, Vishnu Use of sacrifice Asceticism Upanishads – commentaries on the Vedas The Religious World of Ancient India: Gods, Goddesses and Reincarnation Soul reborn a different form after death and progresses through several existences on the wheel of life until reaching the final destination with the Great World Soul, Brahman Karma – actions in this life; determines one’s rebirth in the next life Cosmic scale – Brahmins at the top; in animal kingdom the cow is at the top Dharma governs karma Reincarnation provides compensation for those lower on the ladder of life Multitude of gods (330 million?) in Hinduism but only a small number of primary gods Trinity of gods: Brahman the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Siva the Destroyer Buddhism: The Middle Path Siddhartha Gautama (c. 560-480 B.C.E.) Born in foothills of the Himalaya Mountains, son of a kshatriya family Traveled widely Follows some ideas of Hinduism Denied the existence of the individual soul Nirvana (release from the wheel of life) Bodhi (wisdom) Four Noble Truths Middle Path (Eightfold Path) Simpler than Hinduism Monastic life Rejection of division of humanity into castes All human beings can aspire to Nirvana as a result of their behavior in this life Jainism Founded by Mahavira, contemporary of Siddhartha Doctrine of extreme simplicity; keep no possessions and rely on begging for a living ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. Stupa at Sarnath The Reign of Asoka and the End of the Mauryan Empire Asoka, A Buddhist Monarch (269-232 B.C.E.) After a career as a bloodthirsty conqueror, converted to Buddhism and ruled benevolently • Built shelters for travelers • Sent Buddhist missionaries throughout India After 232 B.C.E., the Mauryan Empire declined • Disunity • New Kingdoms arose • Indo-Europeans entered and proclaimed the Kushan Kingdom • Reasons for disunity ©2004 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. The Empire of Asoka The Exuberant World of Indian Culture: Literature Rig Veda – hymns used in religious ceremonies, second millennium B.C.E. Bramanas and Upinishads and commentaries on the Vedas Sanskrit language Mahabharata, 100 B.C.E. Describes war of cousins for control of the kingdom Interwoven are the legends of the Hindu gods Moral confrontation and ethics The Bhagavad Gita • Sermon by legendary figure Krishna • In taking action, one must be indifferent to success or failure and consider only the moral rightness of the act itself Ramayana – triumph of good over evil Indian Culture: Architecture and Sculpture Pillar Asoka used stone columns alongside roads to commemorate the life of the Buddha and mark pilgrim routes to holy places Stupa Place of devotion meant to house a relic of the Buddha Constructed in the form of a burial mound Rock chamber Rooms to house monks and ascetics Halls for religious ceremonies Style Embellished with decorations Detailed reliefs and freestanding statues Indian Culture: Science Astronomy Elements of earth, air, fire, and water Quality of textiles Massive stone pillars Discussion Questions What factors influenced the development of India’s caste system? What role did skin color play in the creation of caste distinctions? What challenges did Chandragupta Maurya face in creating an Indian empire? How successful was he? What does the Mahabharata tell us about ancient Indian values and beliefs?