31 July 2022 09:00

Ancient India Class 02

 Chalcolithic culture(1800BC to 1500BC)
This phase emerged in the Indian subcontinent characterised by the use of copper
as well as stone tools.
These were concentrated in Western India as that is where copper is found.
The main activities were agriculture, animal husbandry and fishing.
Urban culture is not known here.
Sites- Ahar, Banas, Kayatha, Malwa and Jorwe

 Vedic Period(1500BC to 6th century BC) :

Aryans were Nomadic pastoralists from Central Asia, who moved to different parts
of the world in search of better pastures.
Cattle were their main wealth.
The term Aryans stands for a linguistic community who spoke the Aryan group of
languages.
Indo-Aryans is the term used for Aryans who reached India.
Their history can be reconstructed from the Vedic texts which were originally
transferred orally from one generation to the other and later came in a written
form.
They settled down around the rivers and wrote poems in the praise of these rivers
in Sanskrit.
They defeated the indigenous people by the use of their superior bronze tools, use
of horses and protective gear.
 Society
Early Vedic Polity was tribal in nature with smaller groups moving around without
a definite territorial identity.
At this stage, the tribes were at war for acquiring more cattle and not land.
There was no standing army and all the tribes used to participate in the wars.
During the later periods, life becomes more settled and organised administration
came about.
Some important terms
 King or Rajan
He was the elected head of the group. He ruled according to the wishes of the
people.
Priest or Purohit
He advised the King on important matters.
 Samiti and Sabha

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  Samiti and Sabha
It is the assembly of people and Sabha is the small group of people selected from
the Samiti.
Both men and women used to participate in these meetings reflecting the
democratic character of this system.
In the later periods, the position of the king became hereditary and the role of
Sabha and Samiti declined. Women participation in these bodies was no longer
there.
 Political organisation
Jana is the highest political unit which is the whole group of people
The Village or grama was headed by a village headman called Gramini.
Family or kul(smallest single unit) and the head is Kulapati. The family structure
was patriarchal with the oldest male member being the head of the family. He
was called Kulapati.
A group of villages or clan is called Vis and it is headed by Visapati.
 The rivers around which Aryans settled:
Indus-Sindhu
Jhelum-Vitasa
Chenab- Askini
Ravi- Parushani
Beas- Vipasha
Sutlej- Shutudri
Saraswati- Nanditarna
 Varna system
A system of social stratification called the Varna system developed in the Vedic
society with the coming of 4 varnas.
Initially, they were based on occupation and there was flexibility in the system.
Later on, the varna system became hereditary and rigid.
There are 4 varnas:
1. Brahmins
Their main role is teaching and performing rituals.
2. Kshatriyas
They are the ruling class who will be fighting battles.
Originally, they were supposed to be the highest class but with the significance of
rituals and sacrifices, Brahmins became the highest varna.
3. Vaishyas
They are the producing class comprising farmers, herders, traders, etc.
4. Shudras
They were supposed to serve the other three classes.
 Ashram system :

The life of a person is supposed to be divided into 4 phases:

1. Brahmacharya
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1. Brahmacharya
The learning phase where you study and gain knowledge.
2. Grihastha
Householder phase, where you get married and raise a family.
3. Vanaprastha
Living in the forest
4. Sanyasa
Breaking all bonds and leading the life of renunciation.
Position of women
In the early Vedic period, women enjoyed respect and were welcomed in the
society.
They were given education and allowed to participate in Sabha and Samiti.
By the later Vedic period, the birth of a woman was considered to be a curse and
her position in the society declined.
She could no longer participate in Sabha and Samiti. However, even at this stage,
there were no evil practices like dowry, sati and child marriage against women.
Lopamudra was a female poet in the Early Vedic period.
 Economy :
The Vedic economy was pastoral with the domestication of animals as the main
activity.
During the later stages, with an increase in population agriculture emerged with
crops like wheat, barley and rice.
Bali or Bhaga was the voluntary form of offering given by the people but later on,
this became a regular tax.
Role of iron
The use of iron in the Vedic period is known from 1000 BC and it brought about a
lot of changes.
It helped to make iron axes which were used in clearing forests and making places
for agriculture and settlements.
Iron ploughs were used for the expansion of agriculture.
A new class of weaponry emerged which helped in war and political expansion.
Iron axles were used in chariots and carts for improving the means of
transportation.
 Religion :
Nature worship was predominant in religious life with the natural forces being
personified as Gods.
Indra or Purandar- the rain and thunderstorm God held the highest position along
with Agnee(Fire God) and Varun(The god of water or oceans).
In the later Vedic Period, many other Gods became important like Vishnu as the
protector and Prajapati as the creator.
Various rituals and ceremonies were performed through Yagna and offering
sacrifices.
The concept of divine monarchy was strengthened with these religious
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The concept of divine monarchy was strengthened with these religious
ceremonies.:
Ashvamedha Yajna for territorial expansion.
Rajasuya yajna at the time of coronation.
Vajapaya yajna to increase the strength of the king.
 Difference between early and later Vedic age :

Early Vedic Age(1500-1000BC) Later Vedic

Age(1000-600BC)
Indra was the most important God. Many new gods emerged and the
position of Indra declined.

Varna system based on occupation Varna system became rigid.

Women enjoyed a better position in society. A decline in the position of women.

The main wealth was cattle. The land became a major wealth.

Sabha and Samiti played an important role Less role in decision making.

King was elected. The position of the king became

hereditary

Rig Veda Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva veda

Voluntary tax Regular taxation

Pastoral economy Agriculture

Kshatriya dominated Brahmin dominate

 Post Vedic Age(600BC to 400BC) :

This was a period of remarkable progress in different spheres of human life.

With the emergence of urban centres again after the Indus Valley civilisation, this
is the second urbanisation in India.
With the coming of iron, an agricultural surplus was generated.
The animal force was used to pull iron ploughs.
The use of iron also increased in arts and crafts leading to different kinds of
occupations which led to the growth of trade and commerce.
This is linked with the coming of urban centres.
 Guilds
Guilds or shrenis were organisations involved in different economic activities.
They managed markets and transferred vocational knowledge.
They made their own set of rules and enjoyed judicial powers over their members.
These guilds sometimes formalised into Jatis.
 Coins
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  Coins
The monetisation of the economy happened for the first time during this period.
Punch-marked silver coins were used which is a definite step ahead of the Barter
system.
Political systems
The Janapadas became larger with territorial expansion and Mahajanapadas
came into being.
 There were 3 political systems prevalent during this time period:
a. Monarchy
It is the rule of one person
Example: Magadha
b. Gana or Sangha or Oligarchy
The rule of a few people
Example: Vajji
c. Republic
The rule of all the people
Example: Shakyas, Lichchavis
Over a period of time, the monarchy became the most prominent form of rule.

 Mahajanapadas Capital

1.Anga Champa

2.Magadh Girivraja/Rajagir

3.Kasi Kasi

4.Vatsa Kaushambi

5.Kosala Sravasti

6.Saurasena Mathura

7.Panchala Ahichchatra and Kampilya

8.Kuru Indraprastha

9.Matsya Viratnagar

10.Chedi Sothivati/Banda

11.Avanti Ujjain/Mahismati
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11.Avanti Ujjain/Mahismati

12.Gandhar Taxila

13.Kamboj Pooncha

14.Asmaka Pratisthan/Paithan

15.Vajii Vaishali

16.Malla Kusinara

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