GSEB Class 6 Ancient Towns and Scripture Notes Harappan town planning, economy, social life, religion, and script.

Introduction

1. Culture is related to human life.
2. Civilization is created by human beings using their skill and intelligence.
3. Great civilizations of the world: Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, China, Rome.
4. In this chapter, we study the Harappan Civilization.

Harappan Civilization – Basic Information

5. Harappan Civilization is also known as the Indus Valley Civilization.
6. It was first discovered at Harappa in the year 1921.
7. Important sites are located in the northwestern part of India.
8. Major sites: Harappa, Mohan-jo-daro, Lothal, Dholaveera, Kalibangan, Rakhigadhi.

Town Planning

9. Organized town planning was the most important feature of this civilization.
10. All towns were built on a similar plan.
11. The fort was located on the western side of the town.
12. The colony of common people was on the eastern side.
13. A highway separated the fort from the colony.
14. The fort was surrounded by a fortress. Rulers probably lived there.
15. Bricks were commonly used to build houses and other structures.

Features of Houses

• Houses were built on high platforms to save them from floods and dampness.
• Main gates of houses opened into lanes, not onto the main road.
• Both single storey and double storey houses were found.
• Two highways ran through the city – one from North to South, and one from East to West.

Roads and Streets

• Streets were parallel to the main road.
• Roads crossed each other at right angles.
• The town was divided into square and rectangular blocks.
• There is evidence of a night light system on the roads.

Water and Drainage System

• The town had a well-developed system for disposal of water.
• Water from each house first went into a small sewer.
• From the small sewer, it went into a large sewer.
• From the large sewer, water flowed out of the town.

Important Sites and Their Special Features

Public Bath, Mohan-jo-daro

• A large pond was built in the centre of the public bath.
• Steps were built on both sides to enter the pond.
• Changing rooms were built around the pond.
• It was probably used during festivals and religious occasions.
• Pillared halls (used as assembly halls) were also found here.

Harappa

• Located in Montgomery district, Punjab (now in Pakistan).
• Considered the main town of the Indus Valley Civilization.
• Known for its granary. About 12 grain stores were found on the bank of river Ravi.

Lothal

• Located on the bank of river Bhogavo, in Dholka taluka, Ahmedabad district.
• It was a commercial port and an industrial town.
• A brick structure found here is believed to be a dockyard.
• Ships probably used this dockyard to load and unload goods.
• Warehouses and a bead factory have also been found here.
• Lothal was an important centre for international trade.

Dholaveera

• Located in Khadirbet area, Bhachau taluka, Kutch district.
• Most Harappan towns had two parts, but Dholaveera had three parts:
  1. Citadel (Fort)
  2. Upper town
  3. Lower town
• Famous for its rainwater harvesting system and stadium.

Kalibangan

• Located in Rajasthan.
• This was the centre of the agricultural revolution in Harappan civilization.
• Remains of farms have been found here.
• Copper residue found here shows that copper tools were made and used in farming.

Economic Life

16. People were engaged in agriculture, livestock rearing, trade and the silk industry.
17. Crops grown: wheat, barley, peas, sesame, mustard.
18. Ploughs were used to plough the land.
19. Animals reared: cows, buffaloes, goats, bullocks.
20. People carried on both internal and international trade.
21. Historians believe cotton cloth from here reached Mesopotamia and Egypt.
22. Other occupations: pottery, metal work, bead making, sculpture.

Social Life

Food

• Main occupations were agriculture and cattle rearing.
• People ate wheat, barley, millet, peas, sesame and date palms.
• Milk and milk products were also part of their diet.
• A fishing hook has been found, which shows fish was also eaten.

Clothing

• Information about clothing comes from sculptures found at these sites.
• Men and women wore two pieces of cloth.
• One piece, similar to a dhoti, was worn on the waist.
• A short cloth was wrapped over the shoulder for the upper body.
• Cotton cloth was mostly used. People also knew about woollen cloth.
• Needles made of metal and ivory have been found, so some people wore stitched clothes.
• Most people, however, wore unstitched clothes.

Ornaments

• Both men and women wore necklaces, finger rings and hand bracelets.
• Women also wore bangles, earrings, waist belts and anklets.
• Ornaments were made of gold, silver and precious stones.

Utensils

• Utensils were made of earthenware, copper and bronze.
• Examples: mug, bowl, earthen mug, metallic pot, saucer, casserole.

Toys

• Special toys were made for children.
• Examples: bird-shaped whistles, rattlers, carriages, carts, marbles.
• Toys were also made in the shape of birds, animals, men and women.
• Some toys could shake their heads, and there was also a toy of a monkey climbing a tree.

Religious Life and Funeral Customs

23. Information about religious life comes from idols and postures found at the sites.
24. The idol of Maatrakadevi has been found, which is considered a symbol of Mother Earth.
25. This shows people probably worshipped Mother Earth, since she gives food and water.
26. People may have also worshipped trees, animals, Nagdevta (snake god) and the Swastik symbol.
27. Evidence of fire worship has been found at Lothal and Kalibangan.

Funeral Practices

• Some dead bodies were burnt. Evidence of Agni Sanskar has been found at many places.
• Some dead bodies were buried, along with a few belongings.
• This shows that people believed in life after death.

Script and Language

28. Writing has been found on coins, seals and copper plates.
29. The script is written in an unknown language and has not yet been read.
30. The writing is in short words, with matras and joined letters.
31. Many attempts have been made to decode this script, but none have succeeded so far.

Places of Harappan Civilization in Gujarat

Site	District
Rangpur	Ahmedabad
Lothal	Ahmedabad
Rozdi (Shrinathgarh)	Rajkot
Desalpur	Kutch
Dholaveera	Kutch
Surkotda	Kutch
Lakhabaval	Jamnagar
Amra	Jamnagar
Bhagatalav	Bharuch (bank of river Kim)

 

End of Harappan Civilization

Historians believe the civilization may have ended due to one or more of these reasons:

32. Earthquake
33. Flood
34. Epidemic
35. External invasion

The exact reason for its end is still a subject of research among historians.

Points to Remember

36. Harappan Civilization is also called the Indus Valley Civilization.
37. It was discovered in 1921 at Harappa.
38. Fort was always on the west, colony of common people on the east, separated by a highway.
39. Dholaveera is unique because it had three parts instead of two.
40. Lothal was a major port town with a dockyard.
41. Kalibangan was the centre of the agricultural revolution.
42. The Harappan script has not been deciphered till today.
43. The reason for the end of this civilization is still not fully known.

 

• GSEB Class 6 Journey From Primitive Man to Settled Life
• GSEB Class 6 Chapter 1 Let’s Know the History