Society of IVC: Characteristic Features

April 20, 2024 994 0

Introduction

The society of the IVC was characterized by its urban structure, advanced infrastructure, and complex social organization, reflecting a highly developed and organized civilization that flourished in the ancient past.

Characteristic Features Of Society of IVC

  • The society of IVC was predominantly urban, mainly comprising the middle classes
  • Three distinct social groups were rulers, wealthy merchants, and poor labourers in the city’s lower parts.
  • Burials: Fire altars have been identified at Kalibangan
    • They buried the dead.  
    • Burials were made elaborately and evidence of cremation is also reported. 
    • The Harappan burials have pottery, ornaments, jewelry, copper mirrors and beads. 
    • These suggest their belief in an afterlife
  • Jewelry has been found in burials of both men and women.
  • The dead were generally laid in pits. Sometimes, there were differences in how the burial pit was made in some instances, the hollowed-out spaces were lined with bricks.

Lifestyle:

  • Men and women of this society of IVC wore separate attire, similar to the dhoti and shawl.
  • Cinnabar was used as a cosmetic, and facepaint, lipstick, and collyrium (eyeliner) were also known to them.

Artefacts:

  • Rare objects made of valuable materials are generally concentrated in large settlements like Mohenjodaro and Harappa and are rarely found in smaller settlements. 
  • Miniature pots of faience, perhaps used as perfume bottles, were found mostly in Mohenjodaro and Harappa. 
  • All the gold jewellery found at Harappan sites was recovered from hoards.

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Agriculture: 

It was an important source of subsistence for the Harappans. The agricultural surplus was an important stimulus for a number of developments. 

  • Evidence of Agriculture: 
    • Terracotta models of ploughs were found at Cholistan and Banawali
    • The ploughed field at Kalibangan had two sets of furrows at right angles, suggesting that two different crops (double cropping system) were grown together.
    • Evidence of rice cultivation in Lothal (1800 BC) and Rangpur (Gujarat).
    • Bull representations on seals and terracotta sculptures indicate that they were used for ploughing. 
  • Other features:
    • Main crops include wheat, barley, lentils, chickpeas, sesame, mustard, and millets.
    • Used animal-drawn wooden plough and stone sickles.
  • Irrigation:  The people in the society of IVC used both canal and well irrigation.
  • Cereals were received as taxes from peasants and stored in granaries for wage payments and emergencies, similar to Mesopotamia.

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Animal Domestication

  • Pastoralism was also practiced by the Harappans. 
  • The Harappan cattle are called Zebu. It is a large breed, often represented in their seals. 
  • They domesticated oxen, buffaloes, goats, sheep, fowl, pigs, dogs, cats, asses, and camels. However, humped bulls were particularly preferred. 
  • Fish and birds were part of the diet.
  • Evidence has been found of boar, deer, and gharial.
  • Horse was not known to them.
  • Elephants and Rhinoceros (from Amri) were known, but the lion was unknown.
  • A Mesopotamian myth mentions the haja-bird, with some archaeologists terming it Peacock.

Conclusion

  • The society of IVC represents a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of early urban life, with its advanced infrastructure, intricate social organization, and cultural diversity laying the foundation for subsequent civilizations in the region.
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