Chapter 14 Unlocking The Secrets of Mohenjodaro 14

Chapter 14 Unlocking The Secrets of Mohenjodaro

14. 1 - Introduction ● As in many civilizations, the geography of India affected where people settled. ● Mohenjodaro was one of many settlements along the Indus River Valley. ● They became known as the Indus Valley Civilization. ● It was also known as the Harappan Civilization too. ● The civilization flourished for 800 years from 2, 700 - 1900 BCE. ● Mohenjodaro = hill of the dead ● When archeologists examined the ruins, they found there were two parts:

14. 2 - The Mystery of Mohenjodaro ● The city was located on the banks of the Indus River. ● The city was carefully planned and looked much like a modern city. ● An advanced culture existed but no one knows why it disappeared. ● Around 1900 BCE many of the cities of the Indus River Valley disappeared. ● Some evidence suggests warriors from Asia swept in and destroyed them, while others say it was floods or earthquakes. ● All that remains are ruins and artifacts left behind.

The Mystery of Mohenjodaro (6 minutes)

14. 3 & 14. 4 Weights & Scales and The Great Bath ● Inside of the Citadel a scale and several types of weights were found. Some scientists suspect that the building was used as a granary; a place to store grain. ● The weights were standard in size and made of Chert, a type of stone that could be chipped. ● The Great Bath was 39 ft long and 8 feet deep. ● Small dressing rooms circled the pool ● They would use the bath to wash themselves on a hot day and some suggest it may have been used for religious rituals.

14. 5 -14. 6 Statue, Beads, and Seals STATUES & BEADS ● A stone statue was found in the lower city about 7 inches high. ● It shows how men might have looked and dressed. ● Scientists also found stone beads that women would have worn in necklaces, earrings, and rings. SEALS ● Stone seals were also found and suggested they may have used them as charms and pressed into wax to make a tag.

14. 7 -14. 8 Sewer Systems & Homes ● A great achievement was the development of an advanced sewer system. ● The system carried waste water away from houses, similar to the systems we have in modern day society. ● More than two thousand years would pass before another great civilization would develop a system like this, ancient Rome. ● A system of clay pipes carried the waste into channels located along the streets. ● Most of Mohenjodaro’s citizens lived in the lower city, which was 3 x the size of the citadel. ● Homes faced narrow alleys and were made of mud bricks.

14. 9 -14. 10 - Games and Models Evidence suggests that people who lived during this time played games and enjoyed this time with friends and family. Scientists have uncovered dice, stone balls, grooved clay tracks and stone game boards. Chess may have originated in India as their were pieces called pawns in one such game. Children may have played games by rolling stone balls along clay mazes and tracks. Clay models were found and made of terra-cotta.