Ancient History of India

History

Major Periods in Early Indian Archaeology:-

2 million BP (Before Present)	Lower Paleolithic
80,000	Middle Paleolithic
35,000	Upper Paleolithic
12,000	Mesolithic
10,000	Neolithic
6,000	Chalcolithic ( first use of copper)
2600 BCE	Harappan Civilisation
1500-1000 BCE	Early Vedic Period
1000-600 BCE	Later Vedic Period (first use of Iron)

Courtesy: NCERT

In 1875, the first Director-General of the ASI, Alexander Cunningham( known as the father of Archaeology) reported on Harappan seal.
In 1921 AD, Dayaram Sahni had discovered Harappa.
Harappa was situated on the bank of Ravi river in Punjab state of Pakistan.
In 1922 AD, R.D Banerjee had discovered Mohenjodaro.
Mohenjodaro(means mound of death) was situated on the bank of Indus river in Sindhu state of Pakistan.
Great Bath was found in Mohenjodaro.
Important Sites:-

It is Bronze age.
Urban civilization
Roads straight and cut each other at 90 degree.
Well drainage system.
Main Occupation – agriculture.
Main food crop – wheat.
Evidence of Rice – Lothal, Rangpur (in Gujarat).
Most important animal – Humped bull.
Evidence of horse – Sur Kotla (Gujarat).
They didn’t know about Iron.
They did image worship.
First time cotton was cultivated in IVC.
First time the game of chess had been introduced by IVC.
People of IVC trade with Mesopotamia(Iraq).
Mother of goddess(Earth) was the most important among the gods and goddess.
The people of this civilisation worshiped Neem tree, Pashupati tree and Peepal tree.
The script of this civilisation was pictographic.

Rigveda the oldest religious book of Hindu religion.
It was composed by Aryans in Punjab.
Aryans first time came in Punjab and introduced Sanskrit language in India.
Rigveda has 1028 hymns.
It is divided into 10- mandals out of which second and eighth mandal are oldest while first and tenth mandals are latest.
Gayatri mantra is taken from tenth mandal.
Rigveda is about prayers of different Gods and Goddess.
Original Home Of Aryans:-

Rural Civilization
Didn’t know about Iron
Indra was the most important God, known as Prundar.
Horse was their favorite animal and Aryans were good cavaliers.
There was no concept of king, state and personal property.
Rajan or Gopal was the head of the society.
Sabha, Samiti and Vidhata help the rajan to perform his duty.
In the later part of this civilization varna system introduced in society.
Society was divided into 4- classes :- Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras.
Varna system was based on the work not on the birth.

This civilization was known as Painted Grey ware Phase.
First time iron was used in India in 1000 BC at Gandhar.
Three more vedas were introduced in this period.
Samveda – Music book, Yajurveda – Methods Of Ritual’s book, Atharvaveda – Medicine and Magic books.
7 Brahmanas – These are the notes of vedas and these are the first example of Prose Writing in the world.
108 Upanishads (sitting besides) – theses are the philosophy of hindu religion.
Satyamev Jayate is taken from mundaka upanishad.
Ramayana was written by Valmiki And Mahabharata (originally known as Jaya Samhita and Satasahiri Samhita) was written by Ved Vyas.