Bricks, Beads and Bones: The Harappan Civilisation

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, dates, locations, and archaeological findings from Theme One: Bricks, Beads and Bones - The Harappan Civilisation.

Steatite

A soft stone used to make distinctive Harappan seals, which often feature animal motifs and signs from an undeciphered script.

Harappan Seal

The most distinctive artefact of the Harappan or Indus Valley civilisation, made of steatite and containing animal motifs and undeciphered script.

Early Harappan

The formative phase of the Harappan civilisation spanning from 6000 BCE to 2600 BCE.

Mature Harappan

The prosperous urban phase of the Harappan civilisation spanning from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE.

Late Harappan

The decadent phase marking the decline of the Harappan civilisation, spanning from 1900 BCE to 1300 BCE.

BP

An abbreviation used in dating systems that stands for Before Present.

BCE

An abbreviation used in dating systems that stands for Before Common Era.

CE

An abbreviation used in dating systems that stands for Common Era, where the present year is taken as 2015 according to this system.

circa (c.)

A Latin word abbreviated as c. which means approximate.

Five Major Harappan Cities

The five principal cities identified among Harappan settlements: Rakhigarhi, Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Dholavira, and Ganweriwala.

Saraswati Basin

The river basin containing nearly two-thirds of all discovered Harappan settlements, highlighting its key importance to the civilisation.

Archaeo-botanists

Specialists in ancient plant remains who reconstruct ancient dietary practices from charred grains and seeds found at archaeological sites.

Archaeo-zoologists

Specialists (also referred to as zoo-archaeologists) who study ancient animal bones to determine whether animals were domesticated or wild.

Terracotta Bull

Representations on seals and terracotta sculptures indicating that the bull was known to Harappans, leading archaeologists to extrapolate that oxen were used for ploughing.

Kalibangan

A Harappan site in Rajasthan where evidence of an Early Harappan ploughed field with two sets of furrows at right angles was discovered, suggesting dual crop farming.

Shortughai

A Harappan site located in Afghanistan where archaeologists found physical traces of canals used for irrigation.

Saddle Querns

Grinding instruments made of hard, gritty igneous rock or sandstone found in large numbers at Mohenjodaro, serving as the primary means for grinding cereals.

Curry Stones

A specific type of saddle quern with a second stone used as a pounder to form a large cavity in the nether stone, likely used for pounding herbs and spices.

Mohenjodaro

A planned urban centre and the best-known Harappan site, divided into a smaller higher Citadel and a larger lower town.

Harappa

The very first site of the Indus Valley Civilisation to be discovered, giving the civilisation its name.