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    Aryans and Vedic Age

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    Akash Halder
    The document discusses the decline of the Indus Valley civilizations and the arrival of the Aryans in North India around 1500 BC. It describes the Aryans as speaking an early form of Sanskrit and collecting hymns and rituals in texts called the Vedas. Over generations, the Aryans established control over North India and developed the caste system that divided society into hereditary groups like Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and Dalits.

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    Aryans and Vedic Age

    Uploaded by

    Akash Halder
    108 views16 pages
    The document discusses the decline of the Indus Valley civilizations and the arrival of the Aryans in North India around 1500 BC. It describes the Aryans as speaking an early form of Sanskrit and collecting hymns and rituals in texts called the Vedas. Over generations, the Aryans established control over North India and developed the caste system that divided society into hereditary groups like Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and Dalits.

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    The document discusses the decline of the Indus Valley civilizations and the arrival of the Aryans in North India around 1500 BC. It describes the Aryans as speaking an early form of Sanskrit and collecting hymns and rituals in texts called the Vedas. Over generations, the Aryans established control over North India and developed the caste system that divided society into hereditary groups like Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and Dalits.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    108 views16 pages

    Aryans and Vedic Age

    Uploaded by

    Akash Halder
    The document discusses the decline of the Indus Valley civilizations and the arrival of the Aryans in North India around 1500 BC. It describes the Aryans as speaking an early form of Sanskrit and collecting hymns and rituals in texts called the Vedas. Over generations, the Aryans established control over North India and developed the caste system that divided society into hereditary groups like Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras, and Dalits.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 16

    The Aryans and

    the Vedic Age


    Decline of the Indus River Valley
    civilizations
    – Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were the largest
    cities
    – Civilizations participated in long-distance
    trade
    – Possible causes:
    • Monsoons destroyed irrigation and farming
    prospects
    • Invasions
    • Long distance trade collapsed
    Aryans
    • Root of the word is arya meaning “noble”
    or “pure”
    • Spoke an early form of Sanskrit
    – This Indo-European language is closely
    related to Persian, Latin, Greek and modern
    Romance languages
    – Nazis glorified Aryans as a superior race because
    they were credited with this important language
    development
    Aryans
    • Where did they come from?
    – Most scholars argue that the Aryans
    descended upon North India through the
    Hindu Kush around 1500 BC
    – Some scholars now think that they arrived
    much earlier, and perhaps descended from
    the Harappan
    Aryans and Vedas
    • Vedas
    – A collection, in multiple volumes, of hymns,
    rituals, and philosophies
    – The vedas include stories that attempt to
    explain how the world was created, who the
    gods are, etc.
    – Thought to be the earliest written texts
    Aryans and Vedas
    • Rig Veda
    – The earliest Veda
    – Originally was recited orally and passed down
    generation to generation
    – Children began learning the Rig Veda at an
    early age, would learn to chant each syllable
    in perfect order
    Aryans and Vedas
    • Portrays Aryans as fierce warriors with
    military skill
    • Aryans did not spread through India
    quickly, did not carry out well organized
    military campaigns
    • Aryans were a collection of tribes who
    gradually, over generations of warring with
    each other came to power in North India
    Aryans and Social Order
    • Each tribe was headed by a raja, or chief
    • Priests were next in importance
    – They learned complicated rituals
    – Rituals typically focused on honoring or
    appeasing the gods
    Aryans and Social Order
    • Warrior class
    • Farmers
    • Non-Aryans made up the lowest class
    – They were not slaves
    – They were only allowed to perform the most
    menial tasks
    Early Indian Society
    • 1000-500 BC
    • Tribal rajas were no longer necessary
    because tribal life was in decline
    • Kings controlled large pieces of territory
    • The Aryan-influenced areas extended all
    the way to the Ganges River
    Caste System
    • The system of dividing society into
    hereditary groups that limited interaction
    with each other, especially marriage
    between castes
    • The hierarchical strata into which Indian
    society was divided is called varna
    Caste System
    • Brahmans (priests)
    • Kshatriya (warriors and officials)
    • Vaishya (merchants and artisans)
    • Shudra (peasants and laborers)
    • Dalit, or untouchables – outside the caste
    system
    Caste System
    • Brahman
    – Aryan priests who supported the growth of
    royal power
    – The only caste that was permitted to perform
    important, sacred, daily religious rituals
    Caste System
    • Untouchables
    – Were not permitted to participate in or be near
    religious rituals
    – It is believed that people ended up in this
    caste as a result of bad karma that
    accumulated in previous lifetimes
    – Perform(ed) the most menial jobs

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