Social Differences in Indus Valley civilization is a subpart of the Class 12 history chapter “Bricks, Beads, and Bones”. The Social Differences in the Indus Valley civilization give us a detailed view of the well-structured social hierarchy of the Indus Valley civilization with so many social differences. The Indus Valley civilization had a structured hierarchical social system. The hierarchy was divided into four major groups including Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. The archeological structure of the Indus Valley civilization also supports the theory of Social Differences. It means the wall separates one section of the civilian from another based on these social differences.
In this article, we will discuss the Class 12 History topic related to Social Differences in the Indus Valley civilization in detail.
Social Differences in Indus Valley Civilization| Class 12 History
Social Differences in the Indus Valley Civilization
There were so many strategies that helped historians to analyze the different social and economic differences between the civilians of the Indus Valley Civilization. These differences give us a picture that how the Indus Valley Civilization practiced castism based on social status. Let us discuss this in detail.
Burials Of The Indus Valley Civilization
The burials of the Indus Valley Civilization were generally made in the pits. Some of them were made by the lined bricks. Archeologists studied these burials to figure out the Social Differences in the Indus Valley Civilization.
- The burials were large and they were rectangular and oval.
- These pits were constructed with mud bricks.
- So many burials were found in the Indus Valley civilization sites that were contained in wooden coffins.
- Some burials found in the Indus Valley civilization sites were contained with so many precious ornaments and pottery.
- Indus people believed that the dead used their things after their life.
- Some copper mirrors were found with the dead bodies at the time of excavation.
- So many pieces of jewellery were found with both men’s and women’s burials. In the Indus Civilization, both men and women used the ornaments.
- But, we have to remember that Harappans never buried precious things with the dead people.
Looking for Luxuries
Utilitarian Artefacts are those objects which are made of stones and clay. These types of things were used for daily uses in the whole civilization. The luxury artifacts were the rare objects that were used in the big cities like Harappa and Mohenjodaro. In Harappa, the dead people were buried in pits with the artifacts.
How Burials Set The Social Differences in the Indus Valley Civilization?
The burials set the social differences in the Indus Valley Civilization. There were some other burials found that contained rare materials or luxurious materials. In some burials, there were some major differences in how the burial pit was made. Some pits contain hollowed-out spaces and some graves contain fine pottery and valuable ornaments and jewelry.
Different Offerings
There was some special offering that took place for the individual families. The past generations were buried with so many pots filled with valuable things whose social status was too high.
Large Pits
So many larger pits have been found with multiple dead bodies. It means so many pits were found those contained so many bodies with the major body. There were so many little pots found that were used as perfume bottles.
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Class 12 History Social Differences in Indus Valley Civilization- FAQs
How do we know about the social differences in Indus Valley civilization?
Harappans never believed in burying precious things with the dead. Studying artefacts is another strategy to find out social differences. Artefacts are divided into utilitarian and luxuries. Utilitarian artefacts include objects made of stone or clay.
What were the social conditions of the Indus Valley Civilization?
The people of this civilization were peace-loving. The society was predominantly matriarchal. There were strong family organisations among the people. Social amusements included hunting wild animals, bullfighting, fishing, and clay modelling.
What are some differences between the Indus Valley Civilization?
The Indus Valley Civilizations (IVC) were different from other ancient civilizations in the sense that the IVC did not build any monuments and there is no record of a hereditary king as per the archaeological evidence gathered.
What was the social and economic life of the Indus Valley people?
The Indus Valley Civilization’s economy was largely based on agriculture and animal husbandry. The land they lived in was quite fertile and was rich in vegetation. It received a good amount of rainfall, which helped the people grow wheat, barley, pea, mustard, etc.
What kind of society was the Indus Valley?
Indus valley civilisation was mainly an Agrarian society . They also had good trade relations with Mesopotamian and Chinese civilizations. The cities were divided into two parts, which was one of the reasons scholars believe the society had a ruling class.
What was the society and religion of the Harappan civilization?
The society of the Indus Valley or Harappan civilization is a mixture of religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. It has also been found that Harappa was involved in the trade with the cities of Persia and Mesopotamia for seals.
Which group was the highest social class in Indus Valley?
The Indus Valley civilization had a complex social hierarchy. At the top of the social hierarchy was the ruling class. Members of the ruling class were priests, and they were considered to be the connection between the gods and the earthly world.
What were the main features of the Harappan society discuss?
Harappan Town’s main features include a citadel built on mud brick platforms, proper urban planning, an underground drainage system, and the use of burnt bricks as standard materials.