04. What Books and Burials Tell Us class 6 NCERT Notes Chapter 4 History pdf download
What Books and Burials Tell Us NCERT Exam notes class 6 chapter 4 are as follows
Vedas: Ancient Texts and Hymns
Introduction to Vedas – What Books and Burials Tell Us
- Vedas are some of the oldest written books.
- There are four Vedas: Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda.
- The oldest among them is the Rigveda, composed around 3500 years ago.
Content of Rigveda
- The Rigveda contains over a thousand hymns called “sukta” praising various gods and goddesses.
- Notable deities: Agni, Indra, Soma (plant used for a special drink).
- These hymns were composed by sages (rishis), mostly men but some women too.
- Composed in old Vedic Sanskrit, different from present-day Sanskrit.
- Initially recited and heard, not read.
- Written down centuries later, printed recently.
Languages and Sanskrit’s Family
Sanskrit and Indo-European Languages
- Sanskrit is part of the Indo-European language family.
- Languages like Assamese, Gujarati, Hindi, Persian, English, etc., belong to this family.
- They shared common words, e.g., ‘matr’ (Sanskrit), ‘ma’ (Hindi), ‘mother’ (English).
Other Language Families
- Northeast Indian languages are Tibeto-Burman.
- Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam belong to the Dravidian family.
- Jharkhand and central India languages are Austro-Asiatic.
Historians’ Approach to Rigveda
Historians and Sources
- Historians study past through materials and written sources.
- Rigveda has hymns in dialogue form, providing insights.
Importance of Cattle, Horses, and Chariots
Rigveda’s Prayers
- Rigveda has prayers for cattle, children, and horses.
- Horses pulled chariots used in battles, fought for cattle, land, water, people.
- Wealth acquired shared with leaders, priests, for sacrifices.
Society and Assemblies
- No regular army, but assemblies decided war and peace.
- Leaders chosen for bravery and skill.
Describing People and Social Differences
Priests and Rajas
- Priests (brahmins) and rajas (leaders) described by work.
- Different from later rajas; no cities, palaces, taxes.
Community Description
- “Jana” and “vish” described communities.
- “Vaishya” derived from “vish”.
Aryas and Dasas
- Rigvedic people described as Aryas, opponents as Dasas.
- Later, “dasa” meant slave, often war captives.
Megaliths and Burials
Megaliths Introduction
- Megaliths are big stones used for burial markers.
- Practiced for around 3000 years in Deccan, south India, northeast, and Kashmir.
Features and Commonalities
- Burials with distinctive pots (Black and Red Ware).
- Iron tools, weapons, horse equipment, gold and stone ornaments.
Social Differences in Burials
- Objects near skeletons suggest status differences.
- Rich, poor, chiefs, and followers buried differently.
Family Burial Spots
- Some megaliths with multiple skeletons.
- Family burials; stone circles as markers.
Unique Burial at Inamgaon
Inamgaon Site
- Site near river Ghod, existed 3600-2700 years ago.
- Adults buried in ground, heads north.
Burial Details
- Some burials within houses.
- Food containers near the dead.
- Special case: man buried in large clay jar in courtyard.
Occupations and Subsistence at Inamgaon
Archaeological Discoveries
- Found seeds of various grains.
- Animal bones (cattle, buffalo, etc.), cut marks indicate food use.
- Fruits collected: ber, amla, jamun, dates, berries.
Keywords and Definitions
- Veda: Collection of ancient written books.
- Language: Method of human communication with words.
- Hymn: Religious song or poem praising deities.
- Chariot: Two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle.
- Sacrifice: Offering to a deity, including animals.
- Raja: Leader or king of a community.
- Slave: Person owned by another, forced to obey.
- Megalith: Large stone used in structures or monuments.
- Burial: Act of interring a dead body.
- Skeletal: Relating to a skeleton.
- Iron: Hard magnetic silvery-grey metal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What are the Vedas, and how old is the oldest one?
A: The Vedas are ancient written books. The oldest Veda, the Rigveda, is around 3500 years old.
Q2: What is the significance of horses and chariots in the Rigveda?
A: Horses were yoked to chariots for battles and cattle capturing.
Q3: How did megaliths mark burial sites, and where were they found?
A: Megaliths are large stones carefully arranged to mark burial sites. They were found in Deccan, south India, northeast, and Kashmir.
Q4: Who were described as Aryas and Dasas in the Rigveda?
A: The people who composed the hymns referred to themselves as Aryas and their opponents as Dasas.
Q5: What objects were commonly found with the dead in megalithic burials?
A: Distinctive pots, tools, weapons, and sometimes horse equipment and ornaments were found.
Q6: How did Rigvedic society decide matters of war and peace?
A: Rigvedic society had assemblies where people met to decide war, peace, and choose leaders.
Q7: What was the purpose of megaliths in burial sites?
A: Megaliths marked burial sites and possibly served as signposts to find them.
Q8: How did social differences manifest in megalithic burials?
A: Objects near skeletons indicated differences in status among the buried individuals.
Q9: What types of languages are related to Sanskrit in terms of language families?
A: Sanskrit is part of the Indo-European language family, which includes languages like Hindi, Persian, and English.
Q10: What was the role of priests and rajas in Rigvedic society?
A: Priests performed rituals, and rajas were leaders. However, these rajas were different from later kings.
This was the end of NCERT Notes on What Books and Burials Tell Us class 6 chapter 4
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