Professional Documents
Culture Documents
8. Aryan Civilization and Debates on Invasion Theory
8. Aryan Civilization and Debates on Invasion Theory
Theory:
Origins of the Indo-Aryans from Central Asia to northern India.
Invasion theory by Max Muller
Socio-cultural, political & religious institutions of the Aryans.
Presented By
❖ The Senani was the head of the army after the king and
Gramani was the king’s chief officer to look after the
administration of the villages.
Aryan Civilization and Invasion theory
❑Army Organization
❖ The main elements of the army
were charioteers and infantry.
Sometimes three to four horses
were used in chariots.
❑ Samiti
❖ Samiti was an assembly of a larger group of the people for
the discharge of tribal business and was presided over by
the king.
❑ Sabha
❖ Sabha was a body of a few selected people to help the king
in administration and was less popular and political in
character than the Samiti.
Aryan Civilization and Invasion theory
❑ Status of women
❖ There was no restriction on their
education though, in practice, it was
limited to upper strata of society.
❑ Education
❖ By this time, the Upanayana-ceremony i.e.
initiation of studies of a child by producing
him before the teacher, had not become
popular.
❖ The father provided early education to his
children at home and afterwards they
were sent to live with their teacher for
further studies.
Aryan Civilization and Invasion theory
❑ Economic Life
❖ The Aryans followed a mixed pastoral
and agricultural economy.
❑ Economic Life
❖ Their other chief source of income was cattle
raising/nurturing.
❑ Economic Life
❖ It was only afterwards that agriculture got
priority over cattle-rearing.
❑ Economic Life
❖ Other professions were those of priest,
carpenter, goldsmith, leather-worker,
physician, butcher, dancer, musician. etc.
❑ Religion
❖ The Aryans had expected life after
death and believed in the existence of
hell and heaven but they did not
attach much importance to life after
death.
❖ They loved this life and prayed to their
gods to make their life prosperous and
happy.
Aryan Civilization and Invasion theory
The Later Vedic Civilization
❖ The period from 1000 to 600 BCE is regarded as
the period of later Vedic age. It also covers the
period of the epics, the age of the
Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
❑ Political Organization
❖ The progress of the Aryans all over India led to
changes in dynasties and structural changes in
the constitution and organisation of states.
❑ The King
❖ With a few exceptions’ states were
monarchical. There are a few references to
elected kings, otherwise mostly the office was
hereditary.
Aryan Civilization and Invasion theory
❑ The officials
❖ The Purohita, the Senani and the Gramani
were still prominent officers of the king.
❑ Social Life
❖ The following features distinguished it
from the Rig-Vedic period.
❖ A man was expected to remain with his teacher for studies up to the
age of 25 years.
❖ From 25 to 50 years of age he was expected to marry and remain a
householder.
❖ From 50 to 75 years of age he was expected to live in the jungle as
an ascetic with his wife.
❖ From 75 to 100 years of age he was expected to pass his life alone as
a hermit.
Aryan Civilization and Invasion theory
❑ Position of women
❖ The society was still free from many of those evils
from which women suffered afterwards. Marriage
was regarded a sacred bond and its main purpose
was to rear children. Woman was the mistress of the
house as wife and enjoyed a respectable position in
the household.
❑ Economic Life
❖ The Aryans had progressed and prospered
economically. The growth of cities was one of
the best proofs of it. Agriculture was still their
principal occupation and great improvement
was made in this regard.
❑ The Caste-system
❖ When the Aryans first came to India they were
divided into three social classes: the warriors,
the priests and the common people.