Class 6 Social Science Solutions English Medium

NCERT Solutions Class 6 Social Science English Medium

The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

Topic: Chapter Review and Key Points

Chapter 6. The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

This chapter introduces the earliest civilisation of the Indian Subcontinent, its cities, achievements, way of life, agriculture, water management, crafts, trade and the reasons behind its eventual decline.

Chapter Review

Introduction

• Civilisation represents an advanced stage of human society.
• Human groups gradually moved towards civilisation after settling down and practising agriculture.
• The development of construction, metallurgy and transport helped human societies progress.
• A civilisation generally requires some form of government and administration.
• Urbanism, including town-planning and the management of cities, is an important feature of civilisation.
• Water management and drainage systems are important features of urban civilisation.
• A variety of crafts and specialised occupations develop in a civilisation.
• Trade allows people to exchange goods within their region and with distant regions.
• Some form of writing helps people keep records and communicate.
• Cultural ideas are expressed through art, architecture, literature, oral traditions and social customs.
• Productive agriculture is necessary to provide food for both villages and cities.
• Civilisations developed at different times in different parts of the world.
• Mesopotamian civilisation began about 6,000 years ago.
• Ancient Egyptian civilisation developed a few centuries after Mesopotamia.
• The story of the earliest Indian civilisation begins in the northwest region of the Indian Subcontinent.
• The earliest civilisation discussed in this chapter is known by several names.
• It is called the Indus Civilisation, Harappan Civilisation and Indus-Sarasvatī Civilisation.
• The civilisation existed approximately from 2600 to 1900 BCE.
• Its inhabitants are generally called Harappans.
• The civilisation is one of the oldest civilisations in the world.
• Villages gradually grew into towns and towns developed into cities.
• The Harappans developed carefully planned cities.
• They constructed wide streets and organised settlements.
• They developed sophisticated systems for managing water.
• They built drainage systems to carry away wastewater.
• They constructed wells, reservoirs and other water-storage structures.
• They practised productive agriculture and grew a variety of crops.
• They domesticated animals and also practised fishing.
• They developed specialised crafts and worked with materials such as copper, bronze, stone and shells.
• They produced ornaments, tools, pottery and other useful objects.
• They were involved in extensive internal and external trade.
• They used land routes, rivers and the sea for transporting goods.
• Lothal provides evidence of early intensive maritime activity in India.
• Harappan seals were probably connected with trade activities.
• The Harappans developed cultural and symbolic objects.
• They made games, toys and objects for daily use.
• Some Harappan traditions and technologies continued even after the cities disappeared.
• The civilisation eventually declined and many people returned to rural settlements.
• The decline was probably connected with climatic and environmental changes.

What Is a Civilisation?

• A civilisation is an advanced stage of human society.
• A civilisation generally has some form of government and administration.
• Urbanism includes town-planning, development of cities and their management.
• Water management and drainage are important parts of urbanism.
• A civilisation has a variety of crafts and specialised occupations.
• It uses raw materials to produce finished goods.
• Trade takes place within the region and with distant regions.
• Some form of writing is used for records and communication.
• Cultural ideas are expressed through art, architecture, literature and social customs.
• Productive agriculture provides food for both villages and cities.

Important Definitions

From Village to City

• The plains of Punjab and Sindh were fertile because they were watered by the Indus River and its tributaries.
• Fertile land encouraged the growth of agriculture.
• The Sarasvatī River once flowed through parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• From about 3500 BCE, villages began developing into towns.
• With increasing trade and exchange, towns developed further into cities.
• This urban transition occurred around 2600 BCE.
• Archaeologists have given this civilisation several names.
• These include Indus, Harappan, Indus-Sarasvatī and Sindhu-Sarasvatī Civilisation.
• The term First Urbanisation of India is also used for this development.

Important Names of the Civilisation

• Indus Civilisation
• Harappan Civilisation
• Indus-Sarasvatī Civilisation
• Sindhu-Sarasvatī Civilisation

All these names refer to the same ancient civilisation discussed in this chapter.

Why Is It Called Harappan Civilisation?

• The city of Harappa was the first site of this civilisation to be excavated.
• Harappa is located in present-day Punjab, Pakistan.
• Its excavation took place more than a century ago.
• Therefore, the inhabitants of this civilisation are called Harappans.

The Sarasvatī River

• The Sarasvatī basin contains many archaeological sites.
• The river is today associated with the Ghaggar in India and Hakra in Pakistan.
• The river is therefore also referred to as the Ghaggar-Hakra River.
• Today, it is a seasonal river and flows mainly during the rainy season.
• The Sarasvatī River is first mentioned in the Ṛig Veda.
• In the Ṛig Veda, Sarasvatī is described both as a goddess and as a river.
• Later texts describe the river as drying up and eventually disappearing.

Important Harappan Cities and Sites

Town-Planning

• Harappan cities were built according to precise plans.
• They had wide streets.
• Many streets were oriented towards the cardinal directions.
• Many cities were surrounded by fortifications.
• Most cities had an upper town and a lower town.
• The upper town probably housed the local elite.
• The lower town was generally occupied by common people.
• Some large buildings were used for collective purposes.
• Warehouses were used to store goods meant for transportation.
• Houses of different sizes were built along streets and smaller lanes.
• The quality of construction was generally similar in both small and large houses.
• Most buildings were made of bricks.
• Dholavira was different from many other cities because it had three distinct zones.
• In Dholavira, the foundations of most buildings were made with stones.

The Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro

• The Great Bath is a famous structure at Mohenjo-daro.
• It was a relatively small but elaborate tank.
• It measured about 12 × 7 metres.
• Waterproofing materials such as natural bitumen were used.
• The tank was surrounded by small rooms.
• One of the rooms contained a well.
• A drain allowed the tank to be emptied and refilled with fresh water.
• Its exact purpose is still debated by archaeologists.
• Possible interpretations include a bath for the royal family or a tank used for religious rituals.

Water Management

• The Harappans gave great importance to water management and cleanliness.
• Many houses had separate bathing areas.
• Household bathing areas were connected to larger drainage networks.
• Drains generally ran below the streets.
• The drains carried wastewater away from houses and settlements.
• Mohenjo-daro had hundreds of brick-built wells.
• Other settlements obtained water from ponds and nearby streams.
• Some settlements used large man-made reservoirs.
• Dholavira had at least six large reservoirs.
• Some reservoirs were built with stones while others were cut into the rock.
• Many reservoirs were connected through underground drains.
• The system helped in water harvesting and distribution.
• The Harappan water-management system reflects advanced planning and organisation.

What Did the Harappans Eat?

• Many Harappan settlements were built near rivers.
• Rivers provided easy access to water.
• Rivers also enriched the soil and supported agriculture.
• Harappans grew barley and wheat.
• They also grew some millets.
• Rice was sometimes cultivated.
• They grew pulses and a variety of vegetables.
• They were the first in Eurasia to grow cotton.
• Cotton was used to make clothes.
• They made farming tools including the plough.
• They domesticated animals for meat consumption.
• They also fished in rivers and the sea.
• Animal and fish bones found during excavations provide evidence of their diet.
• Scientific examination of cooking pots has revealed remains of dairy products.
• Remains of turmeric, ginger and banana have also been found.
• The Harappan diet was therefore quite diverse.

Agriculture and Villages

• Intensive agricultural activity was managed by hundreds of small rural settlements.
• Cities depended on agricultural produce from surrounding villages.
• Regular supply of food from villages was necessary for urban life.
• Agriculture provided the foundation for the growth and survival of cities.

A Brisk Trade

• The Harappans were active traders.
• Trade took place within their own civilisation.
• They also traded with other civilisations and cultures.
• They exported ornaments and timber.
• They probably exported some everyday objects, gold and cotton.
• Some food items may also have been traded.
• Carnelian beads were among their important ornaments.
• Carnelian is a reddish semi-precious stone found mainly in Gujarat.
• Harappan craftspeople developed specialised techniques for drilling carnelian beads.
• They also worked with conch shells to make bangles.
• Copper was probably among the materials they imported.

Copper and Bronze

• The Harappans mastered the working of copper.
• Copper is a relatively soft metal.
• Adding tin to copper produces bronze.
• Bronze is harder than copper.
• The Harappans used bronze to make tools.
• They also made pots, pans and figurines from bronze.

Transport and Maritime Trade

• The Harappans used land routes for trade.
• They also used rivers to transport goods.
• They used the sea for distant destinations.
• This represents the first intensive maritime activity in India.
• Several Harappan settlements were located in coastal regions of Gujarat and Sindh.
• Lothal had a huge basin measuring about 217 metres in length and 36 metres in width.
• The basin is believed to have been a dockyard.
• A dockyard was used for receiving and sending boats for transportation of goods.

Harappan Seals

• Thousands of small seals have been excavated from Harappan settlements.
• Seals were generally made of steatite.
• Steatite is a soft stone that becomes harder when heated.
• Most seals were only a few centimetres in size.
• They commonly depicted animal figures.
• Seals also contained signs belonging to a writing system.
• The Harappan writing system has not yet been fully understood.
• The symbolic meaning of the animal figures is also uncertain.
• However, the seals are certainly connected in some way with trade activities.

Objects of Daily Use

• Archaeologists have discovered many objects used in everyday Harappan life.
• These include bronze mirrors.
• Terracotta pots were also used.
• Stone weights have been discovered.
• Bronze chisels were also used.
• Harappans designed games and toys for both adults and children.
• Gamesboards and terracotta whistles have been found.

Cultural and Symbolic Objects

• Harappan sites have yielded many cultural and symbolic objects.
• A figure often called the Priest King has been discovered, although its identity is uncertain.
• Some seals contain the swastika symbol.
• The Pashupati Seal depicts a three-faced figure surrounded by powerful animals.
• The famous Dancing Girl is a bronze figurine from Mohenjo-daro.
• A terracotta figurine showing a person in a namaste posture has also been found.
• A design on a Lothal pot appears to represent the story of the thirsty crow.
• These objects provide clues about Harappan culture and daily life.

Continuity of Harappan Culture

• Many objects found in Harappan sites have similarities with objects and practices known today.
• Bangles worn over an entire arm are seen in some parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan even today.
• Some ornaments, gestures and everyday objects continue to feel familiar in the 21st century.
• This suggests that some cultural traditions may have continued for thousands of years.

The End or a New Beginning?

• Around 1900 BCE, the Indus-Sarasvatī civilisation began to decline.
• Harappan cities were gradually abandoned.
• People who remained adopted a more rural lifestyle.
• Harappans scattered into hundreds or thousands of small rural settlements.
• The earlier form of government or administration appears to have disappeared.
• Earlier theories suggested that warfare or invasions destroyed the cities.
• However, there is no clear archaeological evidence of warfare or invasion.
• The Harappans do not appear to have maintained a large army or many weapons of war.
• The civilisation appears to have been relatively peaceful.

Causes of the Decline

• Archaeologists have proposed several possible causes for the decline.
• A major climatic change began around 2200 BCE.
• The climate became drier and rainfall decreased.
• Reduced rainfall made agriculture more difficult.
• Reduced agricultural production may have decreased the food supply reaching cities.
• The Sarasvatī River dried up in its central basin.
• Cities such as Kalibangan and Banawali were abandoned after changes in the river system.
• There may have been other factors as well.
• The decline shows the importance of climate and environment for human well-being.

After the Decline

• The disappearance of Harappan cities did not mean the complete disappearance of Harappan culture.
• Much of Harappan culture survived.
• Many Harappan technologies continued into the next phase of Indian civilisation.
• People adapted to changing environmental conditions.
• The population increasingly returned to rural settlements.

Important Dates

Important Differences

Quick Revision

• ✔ Civilisation is an advanced stage of human society.
• ✔ Government, urbanism, crafts, trade, writing, culture and productive agriculture are important characteristics of civilisation.
• ✔ The earliest Indian civilisation discussed in this chapter is the Indus-Sarasvatī or Harappan Civilisation.
• ✔ It flourished approximately from 2600 to 1900 BCE.
• ✔ Harappans developed planned cities.
• ✔ Harappan cities had wide streets and organised layouts.
• ✔ Many cities had fortifications and upper and lower towns.
• ✔ Dholavira had three distinct zones.
• ✔ Mohenjo-daro is famous for its Great Bath.
• ✔ Harappans developed advanced drainage systems.
• ✔ Dholavira had a sophisticated reservoir system.
• ✔ Harappans cultivated wheat, barley, millets, rice, pulses and vegetables.
• ✔ They were the first in Eurasia to grow cotton.
• ✔ They domesticated animals and practised fishing.
• ✔ Harappans were active traders.
• ✔ They traded by land, rivers and sea.
• ✔ Lothal provides evidence of maritime activity and a possible dockyard.
• ✔ Harappans worked with copper and bronze.
• ✔ Carnelian beads and shell bangles show their specialised craftsmanship.
• ✔ Harappan seals were generally made of steatite.
• ✔ The Harappan writing system remains undeciphered.
• ✔ Games, toys, ornaments and cultural objects provide clues about Harappan life.
• ✔ Harappan cities declined around 1900 BCE.
• ✔ Climate change, reduced rainfall and drying of the Sarasvatī were important factors.
• ✔ Harappan culture and technology continued even after the cities disappeared.

Exam Booster

• ⭐ Learn the definition and characteristics of a civilisation.
• ⭐ Remember the period 2600–1900 BCE of the Indus-Sarasvatī Civilisation.
• ⭐ Learn why the civilisation is called Harappan.
• ⭐ Remember the major Harappan sites and their modern locations.
• ⭐ Understand the main features of Harappan town-planning.
• ⭐ Learn the importance of the Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro.
• ⭐ Remember the sophisticated water-management system of Dholavira.
• ⭐ Learn the major crops and food habits of the Harappans.
• ⭐ Remember that Harappans were skilled in crafts, metallurgy and trade.
• ⭐ Learn the importance of Lothal's dockyard.
• ⭐ Remember the importance of Harappan seals and their undeciphered writing system.
• ⭐ Know the important cultural objects such as the Dancing Girl and Pashupati Seal.
• ⭐ Understand that warfare or invasion is not supported as the main cause of decline by current evidence in the chapter.
• ⭐ Remember climate change, reduced rainfall and the drying of the Sarasvatī as important factors in the decline.
• ⭐ Understand that the decline of cities did not mean the complete disappearance of Harappan culture.

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