HUMA 1770 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, Social Mobility
28 May 2014
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Document Summary
South east asia: mountainous north (the himalayas highest chain of mountains on the planet); Natural border: fertile river plains (indus and ganges), hills & tropical rainforest very hot and humid physical conditions were already there for a civilization (fertile soil, protection, water i. e. indian ocean) Indus valley/harappan civilization 3000-1500 bce: harappa and mohenjo-daro, farming villages & cities agriculture + extensive trade; Very successful and producing food: oligarchy; ruled by a coalition of rich merchants and lords. Not a monarchy, no king, rule of the few who have power: fertility deity; they worshipped her, art: pottery & sculpture. There were some ecological disaster, and nomadic invasions that result in the decline of this civilization. The vedic era 1500 - 500 bce: aryans: south-central asia; early sanskrit; grammatical structure for indo european languages. Very violent society: warrior mentality imperialistic & patriarchal; male centered culture that devalues women to a great extent.
