Use of Iron in India

Technology of Iron
Charcoal is added to this iron ore and

heated to a high degree of temperature to

produce iron.
This pure iron is beaten to make weapons
and tools.

Characteristics of iron
Hardness-harder than copper and bronze
Availability- available in plenty comparison

with copper
Cheap-cheaper than other metals
Clear forest easily

Use of Iron in India

Vedic people settled in North western part of

India.
Living by grazing cattle
They migrated to the Gangetic plain in the
east.
Gagetic plain rich in Iron deposits
Use of Iron tools- cleared forest, ploughing
fertile alluvial soil, started agriculture

Social and cultural fields of India

Vedic people inhabited the area of Sapta

Sindhu-(Land of seven rivers- sindhu,

saraswathy, Ravi,Bias, Satlej,Chinab,
Jhelam)in the North western part of India.
Searching for new pastures , they migrated to
Gangetic plain in the east.
they advanced in iron weapons and chariots
drawn by horses.

Gangetic Plain
Gangetic plain was densely forested area which

received heavy rainfall.

Use of iron tools they cleared forest and started
farming
Agriculture is an activity which required more
labour than cattle rearing.
When the vedic people move to Gangetic plain
expanded agriculture , they require more workers.
They met this need by conquered the local people
and use them for agricultural labour.

Wealth
Cattle were the real wealth, to get control

over this wealth, they often fought with

weapons.

Dasas
The Bronze age people were conquered by

the Aryans and made them labourers

The Aryans called them dasas
Masters and Servants were formed
Aryans were white coloured people
Dasas were black coloured people

Crops
Barley was main crops, later

paddy and sugarcane started for

forming

Worship
Vedic people worshipped forces of

nature during the pastoral phase.

Customs and Rituals became
stronger
Grains ,milk, ghee, animalsrequired for these rituals available
in plenty.

calendar
Agricultural

calendar
with
six
seasons evolved during this time.

Trade centres

The traders in one locality joined

together in group called Srenis and

formed trade guilds. The head of each
guild was known as Sreshti
Iron age civilization cities grew in trade
centres.
The use of advanced techniques and
knowledge of forming method led to
increase in agricultural production.
The people in the Gangetic plain
exchanged their surplus produce.

This led to the rise of a new set of people with

trade as their occupation.

Trade centres are Magadha, Anga, Gandharaam.
Kasi, chedi, Kosalam Vatsam.
The expansion of trade helped people of the
Gangetic plain to establish relation with distant
places.
Textiles pottery, ivory etc were main items in trade
Goods were given in exchange for goods
Later coins used for exchange and trade.

Coins
Coins
were

used
for
exchange and trade.
Coins
with
symbols
punched on them (punchmarked coins).
The coins used in those
days
were
called
Karshapana
Coins gave great thrust to
trade.