Ancient History Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards

Radio-Carbon Dating

also known as carbon-14 dating. A method used to determine the age of organic materials (wood, bone, or charcoal) by measuring the decay of carbon-14 isotopes. Applicable to samples up to around 50,000 years old.

Vertical Excavations

Provides chronological sequence of material culture. Digging deep into the earth to reveal the history of a site through its different layers or strata. Why? — older artifacts are typically found in lower layers and more recent ones in upper layers.

Horizontal Excavation

Gives complete idea of a particular culture or occupation at one specific point in time. Useful for uncovering the layout of buildings, activity areas, and other features that provide insights into how people lived and interacted within a specific timeframe.

Numismatics

The study of coins , tokens, paper money, and related objects.

Epigraphy

Epigraphy is the study of inscriptions as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the writers and usage. Specifically excluded from epigraphy are the historical significance of an inscription as a document and the artistic worth of a sculptural inscription. When a body of writing is so large that it demands literary analysis, it crosses over into the field of philology. An epigraph may be carved, scratched, impacted, written with ink or paint, or impressed on an object; it may be an original writing or a copy; and it may range in length from a single symbol (ligature) to a lengthy text .

Paleography

Study of ancient and historical handwriting, including the identification, analysis, and dating of handwriting. It involves deciphering and interpreting old scripts on inscriptions, manuscripts, and other historical records. Examines letter forms, writing styles, and the materials used, to determine the age, origin, and authenticity of documents.

ARTHASHASTRA

Gives exhaustive coverage of affairs that concern a King and his economy, polity, administration, and society at large.

Prehistoric Period

Period of human history between 200000 BC and 3500-2500 when the first civilisation appeared.

Stone Age

Human species used stone tools for their survival.

Lower Paleolithic Age

700,000 BC – 100,000 BC. crude and rough tools prepared out of pebbles.

Middle Paleolithic Age

100,000 BC – 40,000 BC. Refined and lighter tools made of harder stone material like flint.

Upper Paleolithic Age

40,000 BC – 10,000 BC. Even more refine and light tools.

Mesolithic Age

10,000 BC – 8000 BC. First people to use bow and arrow.

Neolithic Age

8000 BC – 4000 BC. Lived in huts, reared cattle, developed agriculture.

Chalcolithic Age

4000 BC – 1500 BC. Settled & community life. Copper and stone tools were used simultaneously.

Iron Age

Starts with arrival of Aryans- Rigvedic Period.

Harappan Civilization

First site excavated in 1921 by Dayaram Sahni for the Indus Valley Civilization.

Town Planning

Systematic town-planning on the lines of ‘grid system’.

Harappa Findings

Red sandstone Male torso, Stone symbols of Lingam and Yoni, Painted pottery, Mother Goddess, Dice.

Mohenjodaro Findings

Largest site of Indus civilization, Post cremation burial, Great Granary, Great Bath, Pasupathi seal, Bronze dancing girl.

Chanhudaro Findings

Inkpot, Lipstick, Metal workers, Shell-ornament makers and bead makers shop, dog’s paw imprint on brick, Terracotta model of bullock cart, Bronze toy cart.

Lothal Findings

Important naval trade site, Cremation site, Dockyard, Granaries, Rice husk, Double burial (male female together).

Dholavira Findings

Unique water harnessing system and its storm water drainage system, only site divided in 3 parts, Megalithic stone circle.

Surkotada Findings

Only site with horse remains, Oval grave, Pot burials, Soldiers sign on potsherd.

Kalibangan Findings

Bangle factory, Ploughed field surface, Camel bones, Fire altars.

Banawali Findings

Oval shaped settlement, Lack of systematic drainage system, Barley grains, Lapis Lazuli, Fire altars, Only city with Radial streets.

Rakhigarhi Findings

Largest Indian site of Indus valley civilization. Granary, cemetery, drains, terracotta bricks.

Ropar Findings

Dog buried with human oval pit burials, copper axe, first site to be excavated after independence.

Alamgirpur Findings

Broken copper blade, ceramic items and impression of cloth on a trough.

Daimabad Findings

Bronze images (charioteer with chariot, ox, elephant and rhinoceros).

Agriculture Crops

Two types of Wheat and Barley. Evidence of cultivation of rice.

Cotton Producers

Known as Sindon.

Sumerian Texts

Related with trade relation with Meluha.

Meluha

Ancient name given to Indus region.

Dilmun

Bahrain

Makan

Makran coast.

Polity

Central authority may have contributed to uniform culture.

Seal Religious Practices

Male deity Pashupati Mahadeva (proto-siva).

Script

Oldest script in Indian sub-continent.

Boustrophedon

Writing in right to left in one line & then left to right in the next line.

Pottery Recurring Themes

Trees, birds, animal figures and geometrical patterns.

Bronze Casting

Practised on a wide scale using the ‘lost wax’ technique or Cire Perdue.

Decline

Possible reasons – declined soil fertility, depression in land, Aryans invasion, decline of trade, Floods, Earthquake etc.

Arrival of Aryans

Originally lived in the Steppes region, moved to central Asia and then came to Punjab region of India around 1500 BC.

Vedic Period

Early Vedic or Rigvedic (1500 BC-1000 BC) & Later Vedic (1000 BC- 600 BC) periods.

Rigvedic Phase

Mains source of information about this age is the Rig Veda (10 Mandalas and 1028 Hymns).

Later Vedic Phase

Sources of Information about this phase are Sam Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.

Sapt Sindhu

Early Vedic people or Aryans settled in the land of seven rivers.

Most Mentioned River

Sindhu (Indus).

Most Regarded River

Saraswati is the most regarded (holy river).

Aryavarta

Aryans became generally familiar with the major portion of the Gangetic valley.

Society

Rig Vedic communities comprised of populations called ‘janas’ along with several non-aryan ‘janas’.

Patrilineal Society

Rigvedic society was patrilineal and birth of a son was sought after.

Female Sages

Ghosha, Sikta, Nivavari, and Apala were female sages of the time and contributed to the composition of Rig Veda.

Gomat

Wealthy person.

Duhitri

daughter called duhitri which means one who milks the cow.

Gotra

Place where cattle resided together with ‘janas’ and later developed into an identity for the ‘janas’.

Ashram

Brahmacharya (Celibate Student), Grihastha (Householder), Vanaprastha (hermit in retreat), Sanyasa (Renunciation).

Political System

Janas’ were headed by a ‘Rajana’ who was assisted by Purohit, Gramani and Senani and popular bodies like ‘Sabha’, ‘Samiti’, ‘Vidhata’,‘Gana’ and ‘Sardha’.

Gram

Group of ‘Kulas’ made a ‘Gram’ and ‘Gram’ was headed by ‘Gramani’.

Vajrapati

Authority over a large land was leader of kulupa & graminis.

Gopa Janasya

‘Rajana’ ruled over his people (jana) and not over any specified area of land.

Rigvedic Society

Agriculture was secondary occupation. Cattle was main form of the wealth.

Bali

Voluntary gift from producers to the ‘Rajana’.

Ayas

The common name used for any metal.

Aditi

Chief goddess.

Usha

Goddess of dawn.

Vedic Texts

Vedic texts are broadly categorised into two parts, namely, ‘shruti’ and ‘smriti’.

Shruti

‘Shrutis’ are the texts ‘that is heard’ or product of ‘Godly revelation’ to the great sages (rishis) while in meditation (‘dhyaan’).

Smriti

‘Smritis’ on the other hand are those that are recollected by normal humans.

Upanishada

Indicates knowledge acquired by sitting close to the teacher.

Vrajapati

Officer-in-charge of pasture land.

Jivagribha

Police official.

Kshatri

Chamberlain.

Senani

Supreme commander-in-chief.

Sthapati

Chief Judge.

Gramani

Head of the village.

Bhagadugha

Revenue collector.

Kulapati

Head of the family.

Mahishi

Chief Queen.

Spasas

Spies & Messengers.

Suta

Charioteer.

Madhyamasi

Dispute resolving

Takshan

Carpenter

Palagala

Messenger

Sanghrahriti

Treasurer

Govikartana

Keeper of forests & games.

Akshavapa

Accountant

Purohita

Priest of highest order.

Sarga

Evolution of the Universe

Pratsarga

Involution of Universe

Manvantar

Recurring nature of time

Vamsa

List of Kings and Sages.

Vamsanucharita

Selected Character-based Stories.

Sangam

College or assemblies of Tamil poets held under royal patronage.

Melkannaku

Narrative texts.

Kilkannaku

Didactic texts.

Tirrukural

Deals with philosophy and wise maxims.

Arasars

Ruling Class.

Aanthanars

Priests.