03. In the Earliest Cities Class 6 NCERT Notes of History chapter 3 download pdf

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Welcome to In the earliest cities Class 6 NCERT Notes of Chapter 3 Social Science – History specially created by padhaiguru.in.

The story of Harappa

The site of Harappa is in present-day Pakistan.
Archaeologists found the site, and realised that this was one of the oldest cities in the subcontinent.
As this was the first city to be discovered, all other sites from where similar buildings (and other things) were found were described as Harappan.
These cities developed about 4700 years ago.

What was special about these cities?

Many of these cities were divided into two or more parts.
Usually, the part to the west was smaller but higher. Archaeologists describe this as the
Generally, the part to the east was larger but lower. This is called the lower town.
The bricks were so well baked that they have lasted for thousands of years. The bricks were laid in an interlocking pattern and that made the walls strong.
In some cities, special buildings were constructed on the citadel.
For example, in mohenjodaro, a very special tank, which archaeologists call the Great Bath, was built in this area.This was lined with bricks, coated with plaster, and made water-tight with a layer of natural tar. There were steps leading down to it from two sides, while there were rooms on all sides.
Other cities, such as Kalibangan and Lothal had fire altars, where sacrifices may have been performed.
And some cities like Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, and Lothal had elaborate store houses.

Houses, drains and streets

Houses were either one or two Storeys high, with rooms built around a courtyard. Most houses had a separate bathing area, and some had wells to supply water.
Many of these cities had covered drains. Each drain had a gentle slope so that water could flow through it.
As the drains were covered, inspection holes were provided at intervals to clean them.
All three — houses, drains and streets — were probably planned and built at the same time.

Life in the city

There were people who planned the construction of special buildings in the city.
These were probably the rulers. It is likely that the rulers sent people to distant lands to get metal, precious stones, and other things that they wanted.
There were scribes, people who knew how to write, who helped prepare the seals, and perhaps wrote on other materials that have not survived.
Besides, there were men and women, crafts persons, making all kinds of things either in their own homes, or in special workshops.
Many terracotta toys have been found and children must have played with these.

New crafts in the city

Most of the things that have been found by archaeologists are made of stone, shell and metal, including copper, bronze, gold and silver.
Copper and bronze were used to make tools, weapons, ornaments and vessels.
Gold and silver were used to make ornaments and
Perhaps the most striking finds are those of beads, weights, and blades.
The Harappans also made seals out of stone.
These are generally rectangular and usually have an animal carved on them.
The Harappans also made pots with beautiful black designs.
Cotton was probably grown at Mehrgarh from about 7000 years ago.
Actual pieces of cloth were found attached to the lid of a silver vase and some copper objects at Mohenjodaro.
Archaeologists have also found spindle whorls, made of terracotta and faience. These were used to spin thread.
A specialist is a person who is trained to do only one kind of work, for example, cutting stone, or polishing beads, or carving seals.
Perhaps some women and men may have been specialists.

In search of raw materials

Raw materials are substances that are either found naturally (such as wood, or ores of metals)or produced by farmers or herders.
These are then processed to produce finished goods. For example, cotton, produced by farmers, is a raw material that may be processed to make cloth.
While some of the raw materials used were copper, tin, gold, silver and precious stones.
The Harappans probably got copper from present-day Rajasthan, and even from Oman in West Asia.
Tin, which was mixed with copper to produce bronze, may have been brought from present-day Afghanistan and Iran.
Gold could have come all the way from present-day Karnataka, and precious stones from present-day Gujarat, Iran and Afghanistan.

Faience

Unlike stone or shell, that are found naturally, faience is a material that is artificially produced.
A gum was used to shape sand or powdered quartz into an object. The objects were then glazed, resulting in a shiny, glassy surface. The colours of the glaze were usually blue or sea green.
Faience was used to make beads, bangles, earrings, and tiny vessels.

Food for people in the cities

While many people lived in the cities, others living in the countryside grew crops and reared animals.
These farmers and herders supplied food to crafts persons, scribes and rulers in the cities.
The Harappans grew wheat, barley, pulses, peas, rice, sesame, linseed and mustard.
A new tool, the plough, was used to dig the earth for turning the soil and planting seeds. While real ploughs, have not survived, toy models have been found.
As this region does not receive heavy rainfall, some form of irrigation may have been used. This means that water was stored and supplied to the fields when the plants were growing.
The Harappans reared cattle, sheep, goat and buffalo.
Water and pastures were available around settlements.
However, in the dry summer months large herds of animals were probably taken to greater distances in search of grass and water.
They also collected fruits like ber, caught fish and hunted wild animals like the antelope.

A closer look — Harappan towns in Gujarat

The city of Dholavira was located on Khadir Beyt (also spelled as Bet) in the Rann of Kutch, where there was fresh water and fertile soil.
Dholavira was divided into three parts, and each part was surrounded with massive stone walls, with entrances through gateways.
There was also a large open area in the settlement, where public ceremonies could be held. Other finds include large letters of the Harappan script that were carved out of white stone and perhaps inlaid in wood.
Harappan seals were found here.
The city of Lothal stood beside a tributary of the Sabarmati, in Gujarat, close to the Gulf of Khambat.
It was situated near areas where raw materials such as semi-precious stones were easily available.
This was an important centre for making objects out of stone, shell and metal.
There was also a store house in the city. Many seals and sealings (the impression of seals on clay) were found in this storehouse.
A building that was found here was probably a workshop for making beads: pieces of stone, half made beads, tools for bead making, and finished beads have all been found here.

Seals and sealings

Seals may have been used to stamp bags or packets containing goods that were sent from one place to another. After a bag was closed or tied, a layer of wet clay was applied on the knot, and the seal was pressed on it.
The impression of the seal is known as a sealing. If the sealing was intact, one could be sure that the goods had arrived safely.

The mystery of the end

Around 3900 years ago we find the beginning of a major change. People stopped living in many of the cities.
Writing, seals and weights were no longer used.
In Mohenjodaro, we find that garbage piled up on the streets, the drainage system broke down, and new, less impressive houses were built, even over the streets.
Some scholars suggest that the rivers dried up. Others suggest that there was deforestation. This could have happened because fuel was required for baking bricks, and for smelting copper ores.
Besides, grazing by large herds of cattle, sheep and goat may have destroyed the green cover. In some areas there were floods. But none of these reasons can explain the end of all the cities.
Flooding, or a river drying up would have had an effect in only some areas.

Elsewhere

Find Egypt in your atlas. Most of Egypt is a dry desert, except for the lands along the river Nile.
Around 5000 years ago, kings ruled over Egypt. These kings sent armies to distant lands to get gold, silver, ivory, timber, and precious stones. They also built huge tombs, known as pyramids.
When they died, the bodies of kings were preserved and buried in these pyramids. These carefully preserved bodies are known as ‘mummies’. A large number of objects were also buried with them.
These included food and drink, clothes, ornaments, utensils, musical instruments, weapons and animals. Sometimes even serving men and women were buried with the rulers.
These are amongst the most elaborate burials known in world history.

FAQs

1. What is Harappa’s significance in ancient history?

Harappa is renowned as one of the earliest urban centers in the Indian subcontinent, providing insights into ancient urban life and civilization.

2. Why were Harappan cities divided into different sections?

Harappan cities were often divided into a citadel and a lower town, likely serving distinct functions within the urban landscape.

3. What were the Great Bath and fire altars in Harappan cities?

The Great Bath was a special water tank in Mohenjodaro, while fire altars were structures possibly used for rituals in some cities.

4. How did Harappans manage wastewater?

Covered drains with inspection holes were used to efficiently manage wastewater in Harappan cities.

5. What were the roles of scribes in Harappan society?

Scribes were individuals skilled in writing who played a crucial role in preparing seals and other written materials.

6. What materials were used for crafting in Harappan cities?

Harappans used materials like stone, shell, copper, bronze, gold, and silver for crafting various artifacts.

7. How did Harappans acquire raw materials for manufacturing?

Harappans likely sourced raw materials through trade networks that extended to regions like Rajasthan, Oman, Afghanistan, and Iran.

8. What caused the decline of Harappan cities?

The decline of Harappan cities around 3900 years ago is attributed to various factors, including environmental changes and degradation.

9. How does the Harappan civilization compare to ancient Egypt?

Both civilizations had advanced urban centers, but their cultural practices and artifacts, such as pyramids and mummies, differed.

10. What can we learn from Harappa about ancient urban planning?

Harappa provides valuable insights into the layout, architecture, and societal organization of early urban centers.

This was the end of In the Earliest Cities Class 6 NCERT Notes of History chapter 3.

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