Prehistoric and Indus Valley
1.
Indus Valley civilization is the
earliest known urban culture of the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent.
2.
It is one of
the world’s three earliest civilizations along with Mesopotamia and ancient
Egypt.
3.
This
civilization flourished (grew) from approximately 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.
4.
Harappa the earliest civilization discovered in India by - Daya Ram Sahni in 1921. In
1924, John Marshall, Director-General of the ASI, announced the discovery of a new civilization
in the Indus Valley to the world. (ASI full form Archaeological Survey of India.)
5. Ernest J.H. Mackay, a British archaeologist,
described the Indus Valley Civilization’s drainage
system as remarkably advanced, with covered, systematically organized
drains for effective waste management.
6. Grid system - Harappan cities were known for their
systematic planning based on a grid
system, with streets intersecting at right angles.
7. The Indus
script, used by the Indus Valley
Civilization, remains undeciphered to this day, hindering a complete
understanding of their language and administrative systems.
8. No
temples have been found at any
Harappan sites, suggesting that the possibility of priests ruling Harappa can
be eliminated.
9. Burnt bricks were predominantly (mostly) used in the construction
of Harappan houses and streets.
10. Covered drains made of bricks or stone slabs were a significant feature of the Harappan drainage system.
11. In the Harappan civilization, water and garbage used
to drain out from the drains located outside the
houses and go into the main underground drain.
12. Steatite material was predominantly used by the Indus Valley
people to make seals.
13. Religious
rituals were the primary purpose of
the Great
Bath found at Mohenjo-Daro.
14. Pataliputra was an ancient city in India but not associated with the Indus Valley Civilization.
The major sites of the Indus Valley Civilization include Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro,
and Kalibangan.
15. Most of the Harappan cities were divided into two parts: Higher Towns and Lower Towns.
16. The Higher Town (Citadel)
was fortified and consisted of important structures like the Great Bath and
warehouses.
17. The citadel
in Harappan cities referred to a higher, fortified area built
on a raised platform. It housed important structures like the Great
Bath, warehouses, and administrative or religious buildings. And primarily
occupied by priests or the upper class.
18. The Lower Town was larger
and consisted of houses and workshops for common people.
19. Harappa is situated on the bank of the river Ravi.
20. The Harappan site Roper was situated on the
banks of the river Sutlej.
21. The material mainly
used in the manufacture of Harappan seals was terracotta.
22. Both steatite and terracotta were used by the
Indus Valley people, but steatite,
a soft stone, was the primary material for making seals, which were often engraved
with animals and symbols, while terracotta was used for making figurines,
pottery, and other small items.
23. Kalibangan, situated in Rajasthan, is famous for its pottery.
24. The Harappan site Amri is located in Sindh, Pakistan.
25. Rakhigarhi, located in Haryana, is the largest Harappan site.
26. Dholavira, famous for water conservation, is located in Gujarat (Rann of Kutch).
27. The people of the
Indus Valley Civilization worshipped Pashupati.
28. The Shortughai site is located in Afghanistan.
29. The city of Lothal stood beside a
tributary of the Sabarmati
River.
30. An example of a Harappan city that is not focused on citadels is Lothal. While Lothal does have a dockyard
and is famous for its bead-making industry, it is not primarily divided into a
citadel and lower towns like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
31. The first metal used by man was copper.
32. Agricultural Practices in the Indus
Valley: The Indus Valley
Civilization was an advanced agricultural society.
The people practiced irrigation-based farming, utilizing river systems like the
Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra for water supply.
33. Role of Agriculture in the Economy: Agriculture played
a central role in the economy of the Harappan civilization. The surplus
production of crops enabled the growth of cities and trade with other regions.
34. Iron metal was not found in the Harappan civilization.
35. The Harappans had commercial relations with Mesopotamia.
36. The most common animal figure found at all the
Harappan sites is the
unicorn bull.
37. The granary was the largest building in
Mohenjo-Daro.
38. The utensils of the Indus Valley people were
mainly made of clay.
39. The
horse was notably absent in the Harappan sites.
40. Bhimbetka, a noted site of the
Prehistoric period, is located in the Vindhya mountain range and is part of the Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh.
41. The primary crops grown by the Indus Valley people
included wheat,
barley, and cotton.
42. The decline of the Harappan civilization is believed to have
been caused by a combination of environmental changes, such as climate shifts and the drying up of
rivers.
43. Early Human Evolution and Phases: The different
stages of human evolution, including Australopithecus, Homo habilis, Homo
erectus, and Homo sapiens, and their significance in India.
44. Stone
Age Periods: The Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic Ages in India, and the key
sites and tools associated with each period (e.g., Bhimbetka caves, Mehrgarh).
45. Paleolithic
Culture: The tools and weapons used by Paleolithic man, with major sites like
the Bhimbetka Caves and the significance of cave art.
46. Mesolithic
Culture and Transition: Characteristics of the Mesolithic Age, the shift from
hunting and gathering to a more settled lifestyle, with sites like Bagor and
Johangirpur.
47. Neolithic
Revolution in India: The shift from a nomadic to a settled lifestyle, early
agriculture, domestication of animals, and pottery (e.g., Mehrgarh, Neolithic
settlements in Kashmir).
48. Chalcolithic
Age and Copper Tools: The introduction of copper tools and their impact on
early civilizations, with key sites like Ahar and Malwa.
49. Cotton
in the Indus Valley Civilization: The Harappans were among the first to
cultivate cotton. Evidence suggests that cotton was grown in the Indus Valley
as early as 2500 BCE.
50. The oldest known agricultural settlement in the Indian
subcontinent is Mehrgarh,
located in present-day Pakistan,
near the Bolan Pass. It dates back to around 7000 BCE and is
considered one of the earliest sites where agriculture and domestication of
animals were practiced.