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Notes - Indus Valley Civilization

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55 views4 pages

Notes - Indus Valley Civilization

Uploaded by

raaveeundre
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Indus Valley Civilization

Choose the appropriate option.


a) Clothes made of _________fabrics were commonly usedby the Indus
people.
i) cotton
ii) linen
iii) silk
iv) jute

b) __________was situated on Khadir beyt, an island in the Rann of Kutch in


Gujarat.
i) Lothal
ii) Alamgirpur
iii) Banawali
iv) Dholavira

c) ___________means worshipping animals, trees and stones believing that


they possess spirit or soul.
i) Tribal rituals
ii) Agnosticism
iii) Animism
iv) Atheism

2. Fill in the blanks.


a) Wheat was the staple food of the Indus people.
b) In 1922, R. D. Banerjee discovered Mohenjo Daro or ‘Mound of the
Dead.’
c) Gabarbands or nalas enclosed by dams were used for storing water.

3. Match the following columns.


Column A Column B
a) Lothal iii) Gujarat
b) Citadel ii) Great Bath
c) Lower Town iv) larger residential area
d) Kalibangan i) Rajasthan

4. Answer the following questions in 10 to 20 words.


a) Define Civilization.
The term ‘civilization’ is derived from Latin words civitas meaning
courteousness and civilis meaning relating to a citizen.
Civilization can be defi ned as ‘the stage of human social development
and organization which is considered most advanced’.
According to Sir Edward Tylor, civilization is the result of progress in the
society from hunting and collecting, through simple farming to a complex
society.
(Students can write any one definition out of above three)
b) Why is the Indus Valley Civilization also known as the Harappan
Civilization?
Since, the first city to be excavated was city of Harappa, Indus Valley
Civilization is also known as the Harappan Civilization.

c) State the four features of a civilization.


The main River Valley Civilizations were Mesopotamian Civilization,
Egyptian Civilization, Indus Civilization and Chinese Civilization.

d) Why is the age of the River Valley Civilizations is also known as the
Bronze Age?
The period of the River Valley Civilizations is also known as the Bronze Age
as most of the material used during this period was made up of bronze.

5. Answer the following questions in 50 to 70 words.


a) Write a brief note on the Great Bath.
 The most important public place in Mohenjodaro was the Great Bath,
comprising the tank situated in the Citadel.
 The tank itself measured 39 feet long, 23 feet broad and about 8
feet deep.
 It was constructed with bricks, coated with plaster and a layer of
natural tar that made it water-tight.
 There were steps at either end leading down to the bath.
 Rooms were constructed on sides for changing clothes. Water was
probably drawn from a well to fill the bath.
 There were provisions made to drain out used water.
 It is believed that the Great Bath was intended used for religious
ceremonies.

b) Discuss the trade in the Indus Valley Civilization.


 The importance of trade in the life of the Indus people is supported
by the number of seals, weights, measures, granaries and uniform
script found at Harappa, Mohenjodaro and Lothal.
 The Harappans had trade relations with Afghanistan and Iran.
Harappan seals have been discovered in Mesopotamia.
 Mesopotamian texts from about 2350 BCE indicate trade relations
between the two civilizations.
 They did not use metal money and perhaps carried exchanges
through barter system.
 Tin, silver and gold were brought from Afghanistan.

c) Write about the pottery of the Indus Valley Civilization.


Harappan pottery is one of the finest specimens of Harappan art.
 They were chiefly made of wheel bright or dark red in colour and well baked.
 Both plain and painted potteries were found.
 Plain varieties of pottery were more common.
 Different types of pottery such as polychrome, glazed, perforated, incised and knobbed were
known to Harappan people.
 Generally, flora, fauna, geometrical designs and scenes from forest life were illustrated on
the potteries.

d) Describe the dress and the ornaments worn by the people of the Indus Valley Civilization.

 Clothes made of cotton fabrics were commonly used but wool was also used.
 Both men and women of all classes wore ornaments.
 The men wore something similar to dhoti and women wore skirt. Both men and women
wore shawls on the upper body.
 The art of stitching may be known to them as a needle and thread were discovered at
Harappa.
 Ornaments such as necklaces, armlets, fillets, finger-rings and bangles were worn by both
men and women; whereas nose studs, girdles, anklets and ear-rings by women alone.
 These ornaments were made of gold, ivory, silver, copper and both precious and semi-
precious stones such as crystal, jade, agate, carnelian and lapis lazuli.
e) What are the various reasons of the possible decline of the Indus Valley Civilization?

Probable Causes for the Decline of the Civilization

There is an ambiguity surrounding the circumstances that led to the decline of the Indus Valley
Civilization. There are various theories that state the possible causes of its decline.

 According to some historians, Indus Valley Civilization was destroyed due to the Aryan
invasion. The Aryan invaders would have possibly destroyed the cities of the Indus Valley
Civilization.
 According to another theory, the climatic changes would have led to the decline of the cities.
Perhaps, the rivers Indus and Ravi changed their courses due to which the cities were
completely wiped out. Probably, the frequent flooding of these rivers made it difficult for the
people to live. In course of time, the cities perhaps got buried under the earth.

6. Give reasons.

a) The Ancient Civilizations grew near the river banks.

These civilizations developed near the river banks for various reasons.

 Large populations migrated to river valleys, as the area had surplus food and water.
 River banks were used for fishing and hunting as the wild animals used to come to river
banks to drink water. People got the opportunity to do jobs other than farming.
 Annual floods near the rivers spread silt across the valleys. Silt makes the valleys fertile for
crops to grow in.
 Rivers were used for irrigation. Irrigation brought water to dry areas and led to surplus
farming.
 Transportation became easier.
 Rivers also served as a natural barrier since it protected the area from surprise invasion from
across the river.
 The period of the River Valley Civilizations is also known as the Bronze Age as most of the
material used during this period was made up of bronze. This played an important role in the
growth of the civilizations.

b) Seals are most distinct relic of Indus Valley Civilization.

Seals are most distinct relic of Indus Valley Civilization. They were made of steatite and faience and
generally square and rectangular in shape. They had animal motifs, different signs and symbols on it.
The most famous Harappan seals are ‘Unicorn seal’ and ‘Pashupati seal’ discovered at Mohenjodaro.
The latter depicts a horned deity, probably Shiva Pashupati, sitting in a yogic posture.

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