Professional Documents
Culture Documents
U02L2
U02L2
Dr Amita Gupta
Assistant Professor
Center for Comparative Religion and Civilization
Central University of Jammu
Learning
Outcomes
After this lecture, you will be able to
• Literary Sources
• Archaeological Sources
Literary Sources
• Later additions especially the 10th Mandala of the
Rigveda Samhita and the Sama, the Yajur and the
Atharvaveda Samhitas are the other Vedic texts which
are assigned to the Later Vedic phase.
• Samaveda Samhita is a book of prayers and chants
which are from the Rigveda, modified and set to tune
for the explicit purpose of singing them during rituals.
• Yajurveda elaborates the rituals which accompany the
recitation of hymns. The rituals and the hymns in this
Samhita document the social and political milieu of this
period.
• Artharvaveda contains the folk tradition of this period
and represents popular religion. It is a good source
for understanding the socio-religious conditions of the
common people.
Sources
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Literary Sources
12
Literary Sources
• They explain the social and religious aspects of the rituals and
throw light on the Vedic society.
• Although it would be wrong to take any period of early Indian
history as the ‘Epic’ period as such, the two Sanskrit Epics, the
Mahabharata and the Ramayana are rich in information on
different aspects of early Indian society.
• Historians believe that the core of what is reflected in these Epics
can be traced to the Later Vedic phase.
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Literary Sources
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Literary Sources
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Archaeological Sources
18
Archaeological Sources
• More than 700 PGW sites have been found along the Upper-
Ganga basin.
• Their distribution extends from the dry beds of the river Ghaggar
in Bahawalpur and northern Rajasthan, to the watershed of the
Indus and Ganges and the Ganga- Yamuna Doab.
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Archaeological Sources
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Archaeological Sources
22
Archaeological Sources
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Archaeological Sources
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Archaeological Sources
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Polity
• Early ministers were remained there but some
new ministers were included, like:
• Mahishi Main Queen of King
• Purohit (priest)
• Senani (commander) Duty of earlier
• Senapati
• Sangrahit (treasurer) To look after
• income & expenditure of the
• Kingdom
• Bhagdut (tax-collector)
• Gramini (Village-headman)
• Suta (Chariot-driver)
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Iron Technology and Its Impact
36
Iron Technology and Its Impact
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Iron Technology and Its Impact
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The Nature of Economy
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Changes in the Functions of
Rituals
50
Changes in the Functions of
Rituals
51
Emerging Importance of Land
• Land was cultivated through family labor and the help
of domestic servants and slaves.
• Vaisyas (those who originally belonged to the vis) were
the producing class in the society and they became the
source of wealth and subsistence for the kshatriyas
and the brahmanas who did not actively participate in
food production.
• Visvakarma Bhauvana, a ruler, was rebuked by Prithvi
(the earth) when he tried to make a grant of land.
Emerging Importance of Land
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Emerging Importance of Land
55
Later Vedic Period: Economy
Agriculture:
• Agricultural technology was developed.
• All the stages were undertaken thoroughly and systematically like,
plowing, seeding, cutting, thrashing etc.
• Farmers started plowing lands with the help of 6 to 24 bulls.
• Rivers and streams were bounded and water were preserved for the
entire year.
• Due to development in agro irrigation technology, now a farmer
could take crops of various varieties, like, wheat, barley, rice/paddy,
cotton, vegetables, pulses, oil-seeds, fruits etc.
• Now Vedic Aryans started producing considerable surplus.
• Now, they had to think about its investment.
• Growth in agricultural surplus paved way for the development of
crafts and trade.
Craft/industry
• Earlier crafts were continued in addition more specialization can be seen in
this stage.
• Nature of such crafts was mostly of cottage type.
• Weaving and dying industry was flourished. So like the leatherwork.
• By using cane and grass the mats and carpets were made.
• Besides, we came across to some other artisans like musicians,
astrologers, cooks, drivers, messengers, etc.
• However, due to rigid Varna/caste system, we find hereditary occupation and
its compartmentalization/specialization in relation to castes.
Trade
• Growth of agricultural produce and consequent development
of crafts led the trade to progress.
• Now, the Vedic Aryans controlled extensive region than
earlier.
• Markets were also expanded.
• Exchange of pervious period developed into proper trade in
goods, like, goats, leather, cloths, ornaments etc.
Trade
75
Raja’s Legitimacy �लˈिज�टम�स
76
Raja’s Legitimacy �लˈिज�टम�स
77
Tribal Conflicts
78
Tribal Conflicts
79
The Priest