Chapter 6: The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation
About 4,500 years ago, some of the world's first cities rose along the rivers of north-western India. In this chapter we find out what a civilisation is and explore the Harappans: their planned cities, clever water systems, food, trade, daily life, and what happened to them.
In this chapter you will
- explain what a civilisation is
- place the Harappan Civilisation on a timeline
- describe Harappan town-planning, water management, food and trade
- explain why the cities declined
Topics
- What Is a Civilisation? NCERT 6.1
A civilisation has government, towns and cities, crafts, trade, writing and shared traditions.
- From Village to City NCERT 6.2
The Harappan (Indus-Sarasvati) Civilisation flourished about 2600–1900 BCE.
- Town-Planning NCERT 6.3
Harappan cities had grid streets, a raised area and a lower town, and covered drains.
- Water Management NCERT 6.4
Mohenjo-daro had hundreds of wells and the Great Bath.
- What Did the Harappans Eat? NCERT 6.5
Harappans grew barley, wheat, millets, sometimes rice, pulses, vegetables and cotton, and used ploughs.
- A Brisk Trade NCERT 6.6
Harappans traded beads, shell bangles, timber and cotton, and probably imported copper.
- The Lives of the Ancients NCERT 6.7
Daily objects (pots, tools, combs, toys, bangles) show how Harappans lived.
- The End or a New Beginning? NCERT 6.8
After about 1900 BCE, cities were abandoned because of a drier climate and the drying of the Sarasvati.
Key words
- Civilisation
- a large, organised society with cities, crafts and government
- Metallurgy
- getting metals from nature and shaping them
- Seal
- a small carved stone used to stamp a mark
- Reservoir
- a large tank or lake built to store water
- Pulses
- crops like beans, peas and lentils
- Fortification
- walls built around a place for protection
Summary
- A civilisation has cities, government, crafts, trade and writing.
- The Harappan Civilisation flourished about 2600–1900 BCE along the Sindhu and Sarasvati.
- Its cities had grid streets, standard bricks, drains, wells and reservoirs.
- Harappans farmed, traded as far as Mesopotamia and made fine crafts; a drier climate led to the cities' decline.