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Keeping News of Ancient India Current!
Emerging Civilization in India!
India is known as the "cradle of religion" (much like the Middle East.) Two religions originated in India: Hinduism and Buddhism + some others like Sikkhism and Islam (from the 9th century.)
Harappan Civilization
Harappan writing has yet to be deciphered, so there is little known about the government. Harappa was a collection of 1500 towns/cities that were loosely connected by trade, alliance and it was ruled by a group of landlords & wealthy merchants. (There was no central monarchy.)Possibly their religion has progressed past worshipping spirits to a belief in a single god or goddess of fertility. The assumption is that the priests at court prayed to this deity to maintain the soil's fertility & ensure the harvest.
Next: The Aryans
After the decay of the Harappan civilization the Aryans assumed control about 1500 b.c.e. The Aryans were thought to be Indo-Europeans who lived in the steppes north & east of the Black and Caspian Seas. They migrated seasonally in search of "fodder for their herds."
Their technological inventions include horse-drawn chariots and the stirrup.
The spoken word was Sanskrit. The earliest writing produced by the Aryans was the Rig Veda & "describes a culture based on pastoralism."
Additionally, they introduced iron to the Indus Valley. The iron plow and the development of irrigation allowed them to clear thick undergrowth & transform the Ganges River Valley into one of the richest agricultural regions in Asia.
Rajas were chieftains who were advised by a council of elders. The rajas derived their power from their ability to protect the group--an essential capability with the shifting alliances in the region.
Ancient India and the Earliest Known Civilizations (Full Documentary) 2014