Harappan Origin Theory Flashcards
Diffusionist origin theory (sudden origin)
Mesopotamian Origin – Colonial historians
British colonizers provided diffusionist
explanation. Since, due to the use of
Mesopotamia for dating, cross cultural
contacts were known, credit of all Harappan
achievements were given to
Mesopotamians (Iraq) who came to India
themselves (or Indian copied idea from
them).
This view is completely rejected today.
• Many points of dissimilarity between
the two civilizations. Eg. Mesopotamian
script is deciphered but Indus script is
totally dissimilar. Many other such
archaeological points can be compared
to show dissimilarity.
• There has been trade contact but no
evidence of diffusion.
• Moreover, such an idea of mono-genesis
is now discarded.
Aryan Origin – Nationalist historians
As per this view, Harappan civilization =
Vedic Aryans. Some evidence:
• Kalibangan, Rakhigari have fire altars.
• Ghaggar-Hakra river is equated with
Vedic Saraswati.
• Discovery of Sinauli artefacts.
It has been disproved based on literary and
DNA evidence.
• Unlike urban Harappans, Aryans were
semi-nomadic pastoralists. There is very
little secondary and tertiary economy.
• Three things: Cow worship, horse
centrality, and ratha useage – all in
Vedas but not in Harappa. Thus,
difference in material culture.
• Rakhigarhi (Haryana) DNA study of
skeletal remains: R1a1 as genetic marker
of steppe pastoral origin was not found
in the skeleton.
Indigenous origin – gradual evolution
According to most historians, the Harappan Civilisation emerged gradually and was built by
the indigenous people of India. They point towards the existence of distinct Pre-Harappan
and Early-Harappan cultures in the same region to prove the gradual evolution of life from
the Neolithic villages to Bronze Age towns, which took place over more than 4000 years. This
transition happened as local progression from hunter-gatherer to urban dweller by way of all
the various stages of pastoralism, agricultural settlements, technological advance and cultural
refinement. All these stages are today mapped.
The presence of antecedent cultures indicates that the Harappan civilisation was indeed an
indigenous civilisation which evolved gradually over several millennia.
Food producing phase
8th millenium BC-4th millenium BC
Neolithic culture of the region developed subsistence base producing agrarian surplus which led to the transformation towards chalcolithic culture
Regionalisation phase{Pre harappan phase}
3300BC-2600BC
Development of regional culture where some advance sites developed features of proto urbanisation
Integration phase
2600BC-1900BC
All regional cultures merged into one to form a large uniform civilization with feature of nature urbanisation
Localisation phase
1900bc-1700bc
Decline of urban centres civilization fragmented into small culture
4 pre Harappan culture developing urban features
Kot-diji, Amri Nal culture, Damb Saadat culture, Sothi Siswal culture
10 features of pre Harappan phase
1) Fortified settlement started appearing
2) Division of settlement into citadel and lower town. This indicates development of some administrative system
3) grid planning
4)use of kiln baked bricks
5)bead production
6) emergence of script
7) production of seal
8) mother goddesses worship
9) significant developments of agriculture
10) substantial production and use of cu tools
7 features of mature Harappa phase which distinguished it from pre Harappan phase
1) New pottery(Harappan ware)
2) intensified use of copper tools
3) prevalent use of baked bricks(now in all sites)
4) widespread bead making industry (in almost every site)
5)script/ writing in almost every site
6) huge sites with population of several thousand
7) uniformity across the entire spread of civilization
