Introduction to the Harappan Civilization and Subsistence Strategies

  • The Harappan Civilization Overview: The Harappan or Indus Valley Civilization is best known through distinctive artifacts like the Harappan seal, made of steatite, featuring animal motifs and an undeciphered script.
  • Archaeological Evidence: Our understanding of Harappan life comes from archaeological findings such as houses, pottery, ornaments, tools, and seals. Interpretation of this material can change over time.
  • Terminology:
    • Harappan Culture: Another name for the Indus Valley Civilization.
    • “Culture” (Archaeological): A group of objects with distinctive style, found together in a specific geographical area and time period.
    • Harappan Cultural Objects: Include seals, beads, weights, stone blades, and baked bricks. These objects have been found across Afghanistan, Jammu, Baluchistan (Pakistan), and Gujarat (India).
    • Naming: Named after Harappa, the first site discovered.
    • Dating: The civilization is dated between c. 2600 and 1900 BCE.
    • Phases: Distinguished from earlier (Early Harappan) and later (Late Harappan) cultures in the same region, with the main period called “Mature Harappan”.
  • Chronology Abbreviations:
    • BP: Before Present.
    • BCE: Before Common Era.
    • CE: Common Era (e.g., 2015 CE).
    • c.: circa (Latin for “approximate”).
  • Early Harappan Cultures:
    • Existed prior to Mature Harappan in the region.
    • Associated with distinctive pottery, evidence of agriculture, pastoralism, and crafts.
    • Settlements were generally small, with virtually no large buildings.
    • A break, possibly indicated by large-scale burning and abandonment of some sites, occurred between Early and Mature Harappan periods.
  • Subsistence Strategies of Harappans:
    • Shared common subsistence strategies with Early Harappan cultures.
    • Diet included a wide range of plant and animal products, including fish.
    • Dietary Reconstruction: Achieved by studying charred grains and seeds by archaeo-botanists.
    • Grains Found: Wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea, sesame. Millets in Gujarat, rice relatively rare.
    • Animal Bones: Cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo, and pig, indicating domestication (studied by archaeo-zoologists/zoo-archaeologists).
    • Wild Species: Bones of boar, deer, and gharial also found, but it’s unknown if Harappans hunted them or obtained meat from other hunting communities. Fish and fowl bones also present.
  • Agricultural Technologies:
    • Evidence of Agriculture: Indicated by grain finds.
    • Ploughing: Terracotta sculptures and seal representations suggest bulls were known and likely used for ploughing. Terracotta plough models found at Cholistan and Banawali (Haryana).
    • Ploughed Field: Evidence of a ploughed field with two sets of furrows at right angles (suggesting double cropping) found at Kalibangan (Rajasthan), associated with Early Harappan levels.
    • Harvesting Tools: Archaeologists are still trying to identify if stone blades with wooden handles or metal tools were used.
    • Irrigation: Probably required in semi-arid Harappan regions.
      • Traces of canals found at Shortughai (Afghanistan), but not in Punjab or Sind (possibly silted up).
      • Water from wells likely used for irrigation.
      • Water reservoirs at Dholavira (Gujarat) may have stored water for agriculture.

This MCQ module is based on: Introduction to the Harappan Civilization and Subsistence Strategies

This assessment will be based on: Introduction to the Harappan Civilization and Subsistence Strategies

  • Real-Life Connections & General Knowledge:
    • The concept of archaeological “culture” is fundamental to understanding historical periods, extending beyond the Harappan context to other ancient civilizations worldwide.
    • The challenges of reconstructing ancient diets and agricultural practices are similar to modern forensic archaeology or paleobotanical studies.
  • Case-based Scenarios & Reasoning:
    • Scenario: An archaeologist discovers a new site with distinctive pottery and signs of early agriculture, but no large buildings. How would they classify this site in relation to the Mature Harappan civilization?
    • Scenario: A site yields significant quantities of animal bones, including both domesticated and wild species. What questions would an archaeo-zoologist pose to determine the inhabitants’ subsistence strategies?
  • Conceptual Application:
    • Discuss the limitations of archaeological interpretation, especially when dealing with an undeciphered script, emphasizing reliance on material culture.
    • Explain how the presence of specific crops and animal remains can indicate the climate and ecological conditions prevalent during the Harappan period.
  • Numerical/Data Interpretation:
    • Settlement Data for Sind and Cholistan:

       

      • Sind: Total sites: 239; Early Harappan sites: 106; Mature Harappan sites: 65; Mature Harappan settlements on new sites: 43; Early Harappan sites abandoned: 29.
      • Cholistan: Total sites: 52; Early Harappan sites: 37; Mature Harappan sites: 136; Mature Harappan settlements on new sites: 132; Early Harappan sites abandoned: 33.
    • Analyze the table to infer patterns of settlement shift from Early to Mature Harappan periods, particularly noting the expansion in Cholistan.
  • Comparative & Analytical Points:
    • Compare the characteristics of Early Harappan settlements with those of the Mature Harappan period, focusing on scale and architectural complexity.
    • Analyze the significance of finding a ploughed field at Kalibangan with cross furrows, discussing its implications for Harappan agricultural sophistication.
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