NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 1 Notes Bricks Beads and Bones in

1/29/23, 9:41 PM NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 1 Notes Bricks Beads And Bones In English
cbsestudyguru Menu
NCERT Class 12 history Chapter

1 Notes Bricks beads and bones
In English
October 27, 2021 by admin
Textbook NCERT
CBSE Board, UP board, JAC board, HBSE Board, Bihar

Board
Board, PSEB board, RBSE Board, UBSE Board
Class 12th Class
Subject History
Chapter Theme one
Chapter Name BRICKS, BEADS AND BONES
NCERT Notes for Class 12 History Chapter 1 bricks

Topic
BEADS AND BONES
Medium English
Especially Designed CBSE, ICSE, IAS, NET, NRA, UPSC, SSC, NDA, All Govt.
Notes for Exam
NCERT Notes for Class 12 History Chapter 1 BRICKS BEADS AND BONES,
(history) exam are Students are taught thru NCERT books in some of the state
board and CBSE Schools and class.
As the chapter involves an end, there is an exercise provided to assist students

to prepare for evaluation. Students need to clear up those exercises very well
https://cbsestudyguru.com/ncert-notes-for-class-12-history-chapter-1/ 1/31
because the questions inside the very last asked from those.
Class 12 History Notes Of Chapter 1 BRICKS BEADS AND BONES is full of

mystery and lots of interesting facts that would wander your mind. After
studying this class 12 history notes bricks beads and bones, you will ask your
mind how this flourishing civilization ended. In the present 21st century, we
cannot read or understand the Harappan language, which forms of language
communication Harappan people used.
NCERT Class 12 History Revision Notes

PDF
Table of Contents
This chapter, class 12 history notes bricks beads and bones Pdf, will give you an
idea of how Harappan people live in Harappan cities by understanding the
town’s structure and the technology they use for farming.
Class 12 history pdf notes have been made by our experience teacher who is
working with our organization; our motive is to provide the best notes for our
students and help them acquire knowledge about Harappan. Notes are suitable for
all class 12 history boards in CBSE format, upboard, etc. Notes are available in
English, but soon they will be available in Hindi. Also, the story connects with us.
NCERT Class 12 Notes Bricks beads and bones Chapter 1 Pdf
NCERT Notes for Class 12 History

Chapter 1 Bricks BEADS AND BONES
Class 12 History THE HARAPPAN
CIVILIZATION
Indus valley civilization is also known as the Harappan civilization.
It flourished along River Indus (now in Pakistan) around 2600 B.C.
Harappan civilization was the most significant Bronze age civilization in the
world
Harappa was the first site of this civilization discovered by archaeologists
It was an urban civilization. Its writing is not deciphered
After 1900 B.C., most of the sites were abandoned due to some reasons
By 1900 B.C. major part of the civilization ended
Class 12 Period of Harappan Civilization

The civilization is dated between 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE
The period of the civilization is broadly divided into three parts:
The Early Harappan culture (Before 2600 BCE)

The Mature Harappan culture (2600 BCE to 1900 BCE)
The Late Harappan culture (After 1900)
Class 12 Important Sites Of The Harappan

civilization
Kalibangan, Lothal, Rakhigarhi, Dholavira, Rupar, Harappa, Ganeriwala,
Chanhudaro, Sutakagendor, Mohenjodaro, Amri, Balakot, Kot Diji, Rangpur,
Nageshwar, Ganeriwala etc.
Class 12 Significant Developments in

Harappan Archaeology
1875-Report of Alexander Cunningham on Harappan seal
1924-John Marshall announced the discovery of Harappan civilization
1925-Excavation began at Mohenjodaro
1944-R E M Wheeler became the Director General of ASI
1946- R E M Wheeler excavates at Harappa
1955-S.R.Rao begins excavation at Lothal
1960–B.B Lal&B.K Thaper begins excavations at Kalibangan
1974-M.R.Mughal begins explorations in Bahawalpur
1990-R.S Bisht begins excavations at Dholavira.
BEGINNINGS (Early archaeological

cultures)
There were several archaeological cultures in the region before the Mature
Harappan.
These cultures were associated with distinctive pottery, evidence of agriculture,

pastoralism, and some crafts.
The settlements were small in size and had no large buildings.
Subsistence strategies
Subsistence strategies of the people included hunting and gathering, cultivation,

pastoralism, and distribution.
There is evidence of bones of animals which proves that people consumed

meat. Terracotta models of oxen and ploughs show that people relied on
agriculture too.
(Agriculture) Different types of food available to the

people
The Harappans ate many plants and animal products, including fish.
Archaeologists found grains such as wheat, barley, lentils, chickpea, and sesame
at Harappan sites.
In Gujarat, Millets have been found. Rice was found rarely.
Bones of cattle, fish, fowl, sheep, goat, buffalo, pig, boar, deer, and gharial are
found at the sites. Studies indicate that these animals were either domesticated or
hunted by the Harappans.
Agricultural technologies of Harappans

Agriculture was the main occupation of the Harappans.
Finds of grains indicate the prevalence of agriculture.
It is complicated to reconstruct actual agricultural practices carried out by the

Harappans.
Terracotta sculptors of the bull and their representation on the seals indicate that
bull was known to them.
From this, the archaeologists assume that the oxen were used for ploughing.
Terracotta models of the plough

Moreover, Archaeologists have also found terracotta models of the plough at sites
in Cholistan and Banwali (Haryana).
Image Credit: www.harappa.com
Evidence of a ploughed field has also been found at

Kalibangan(Rajasthan), associated with early Harappan levels.
The field had two sets of furrows at right angles to each other, suggesting
that two different crops were grown together.
Harappan irrigation system

Most of Harappan sites were located in semi-arid regions. So, to enhance
agricultural production, they needed facilities for irrigation.
Traces of canals have been found at the Harappan site of Shortughai in

Afghanistan.
It is also likely that water drawn from wells was used for irrigation.
Besides, water reservoirs in Dholavira (Gujarat) may have been used to
store water for agriculture.
Layout of Mohenjodaro: Architectural features

of Mohenjodaro| MOHENJODARO A
PLANNED URBAN CENTRE
The most spectacular part of the Harappan structure is the large-scale town
layout.
The city of Mohenjodaro was divided into two sections i.e.the Citadel(Smaller but
higher) and the lower city(much larger but lower).
The Citadel
The citadel was walled, which meant it was separated from the lower town.
The buildings were constructed on mud-brick platforms.

There were variations in Harappan settlements.
At sites such as Dholavira and Lothal (Gujarat), the entire settlement was fortified,
and walls also separated sections within the town.
The citadel within Lothal was not walled off but was built at a height.
The Great Bath

The Great Bath was a large rectangular tank in a courtyard surrounded by a corridor
on all four sides.
There were two flights of steps on the North and the South to reach the tank.
There are structures in the citadel that were probably used for special public
purposes.
These included the warehouse and the Great Bath.
The Great Bath was made watertight by setting bricks on their edges and using the
plaster of gypsum.
There were rooms on three sides of it, one of which was a large well.
Water from the tank flowed into a huge drain.
On the North side, there was a smaller building having eight bathrooms, four on
each side of its corridor.
From each bathroom, drains were coming out, connected to a drain that ran along
the corridor.
Seeing the uniqueness of the structure, scholars suggest that it was meant for a
special ritual bath.
The Lower Town

The lower town was organised on a grid system which served as foundations. It was
also walled.
Archaeologists believe that it was probably the city where most of the people lived
and worked.
Bricks used for settlements were sun-dried or baked.
They were of standardised ratio, where the length and breadth were four times and
twice the height respectively.
Laying out drains

One of the most distinctive features of Harappan cities was the carefully planned
drainage system.
Roads and streets were laid out along an approximate “grid” pattern, intersecting at
right angles.
Street with drains was laid out first, and then houses were built along them.
If domestic wastewater had to flow into the street drains, every home needed at
least one wall along a street.
The drains were made of mortar, lime, and gypsum.
They were covered with big bricks which could be lifted easily to clean the drains.
Very long drainage channels were provided at intervals with sumps for cleaning.
Little heaps of materials mostly sand have frequently been found alongside the
drains.
This shows that the drains were cleaned at regular intervals.
Domestic Architecture
Most of the residential buildings were centered on a courtyard with rooms on all
sides.
The courtyard was the center of activities such as cooking and weaving.
There were no windows in the walls along the ground level.
The main entrance does not give a direct view of the interior of the courtyard.
Every house had its bathroom with drains connected through the walls to the street
drains.
Some houses have remains of staircases to reach a second story or the roof.
Many houses had wells, often in a room that could be reached from outside and
used by passers-by.
The total number of wells in Mohenjodaro was about 700.
Tracking Social Differences: Strategies to find

out social differences
1. Studying Burials
Strategies to analyze social and economic differences among people living
within a particular culture include the study of burials.
At burials in Harappan sites, the dead were generally laid in pits.

Some of the pits were lined with bricks.
Some of the burials contained ornaments, pottery, etc., maybe a belief that
these things can be used afterlife.
The jewelry was found in both men’s and women’s burials, meaning that both men
and women used ornaments.
In some instances, the dead were buried with copper mirrors.
But Harappans never believed in burying precious things with the dead.
2.Studying Artefacts
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.
These include querns, pottery, needles, flesh rubbers, etc. and are usually distributed
throughout settlements.
Luxury artefacts are rare objects made of valuable materials generally concentrated
in large settlements like Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
For Example, little pots of faience were used as perfume bottles and are found
mainly in Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
Finding out about craft production

Chanhudaro is a small town that was famous for craft production.
This city was busy with craft production like bead-making, shell-cutting,
metalworking, seal-making and weight-making.
The materials used in making all these crafts were stones like carnelian (of a
beautiful red colour), jasper, crystal, quartz and steatite; metals like
copper, bronze, and gold; and shell, faience and terracotta or burnt clay.
Methods of making crafts

The Harappans Sometimes made beads made of two or more stones by
cementing them together, while some stones with gold caps.
They were made in different shapes, such as cylindrical, spherical, barrel-
shaped, and segmented.
Some were decorated with paintings, and some had designs etched on them.
They made bangles and ladles out of shells.
Special tools were used for craftwork.
Centre of crafts production

Specialized drills have been found at Chanhudaro, Lothal and Dholavira.
Nageshwar and Balakot were specialized centres for making shell
objects, including bangles, ladles and inlay.
Chanhudaro was the centre of crafts production. It was a specialist in
bead-making, shell-cutting, metalworking, seal-making and weight-
making.
They obtained different materials from different cities which were as follows:
Material Cities
Shell Nageshwar, Balakot
Blue stone(Lapis
Shortughai (Afghanistan)
Lazuli)
Carnelian (a
Bharuch in Gujarat
glossy stone)
Steatite South Rajasthan and North Gujarat
Metal Rajasthan
Khetri (Rajasthan). Archaeologists named the Khetri

Copper
area as Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture
Gold South India
Identifying centres of production.

How centers of production were identified by the archaeologists?
Simply by evidence of tools, raw materials, unfinished objects, rejects, waste

materials, etc.
Strategies for procuring materials for craft

production
Some craft production materials were locally available, and some were transported
outside the alluvial plain.
Terracotta models of bullock carts are found. So This suggests that the bullock cart
was one of the essential means of transport at that time.
Riverine routes were also probably used. For procuring raw materials, expeditions
were sent to other areas.
Material from the subcontinent and beyond

The Harappans procured materials for craft production in various ways.
Two methods of procuring materials for craft production
They established settlements in Nageshwar, Balakot, and Shortughai.

They might have sent expeditions to areas such as the khetri region of
Rajasthan (for copper) and south India (for gold).
Contact with distant lands (Trade relation with the

world)
Archaeological finds suggest that the Harappans maintained long-distance trade.
The primary source of long-distance contact includes seals, weights, dice, and
beads.
Harappans probably had trade contacts with the Oman peninsula.
Chemical analyses have shown that both the Omani copper and Harappan
artifacts have nickel traces, suggesting a common origin.
A Harappan jar coated with a thick layer of black clay has been found in Oman.
The Harappan may have exchanged the contents of these vessels for Omani copper.
Some data shows that Mesopotamia transported the copper from Magan, Oman.
Mesopotamian texts refer to contact with regions named Dilmun (probably the
island of Bahrain), Magan and Meluhaha, possibly the Harappan.
Evidence of depiction of ships and boats on seals.
Seals, Script, Weights

Seals and Sealings
Seals and Sealings were used to facilitate long-distance communication.
When a bag of goods was sent from one place to another, its mouth was tied with a
rope.
On the knot was affixed some wet clay on which one or more seals were pressed,
leaving an impression.
If the bag reached with its sealing intact, it had not been tampered with.
The sealing established the identity of the sender.
The Harappan seal is the most distinctive artefact; the seal is made of a stone called
steatite.
The seals also contain animal motifs and signs from a script.
A cylinder seal found in Mesopotamia has a humped bull motif, which can be
derived from the Indus region.
The round Persian gulf seal found in Bahrain sometimes carries Harappan motifs.
An enigmatic script (Characteristics of Seals and Script)

Harappan seals usually have a line of writing.
The seal had the name and title of the owner.
The seal had a motif (generally an animal) that conveyed a meaning to
those who could not read.
Seals were basically used to convey the identity of the sender and to facilitate
long-distance communication.
The Harappan inscriptions are short, the longest containing about 26
signs.
The script was not alphabetical and written right to left.
Many signs were used and they are around 375-400 in number.
Mostly scripts are still remains undeciphered to the date.
Image Credit: thearchaeologist.org
Writing has been found on seals, copper tools, rims of jars, bone rods, copper and
terracotta tablets and jewellery bone rods and an ancient signboard.
Weights
Exchangers were regulated by a precise system of weights usually made of a

stone called chert (a kind of stone, generally cubical with no markings).
Lower denominations of weights were binary (1, 2,4,8,16,32, etc.), while the
higher denominations followed the decimal system.
Governance in Harappan culture

The archaeologists put forward different arguments over the central authority of
Harappa.
The Extraordinary uniformity of Harappan artefacts is evident in pottery, seals,
weights, and bricks, suggesting some forms of authority and governance.
There are three major views about the existence of a central authority in
Harappan society.
Some archaeologists believe that there were no rulers in the Harappan society
and that everybody enjoyed equal status.
Others believe that there was no single ruler but several rulers. Monenjodaro
had a separate ruler, Harappa had a separate, and so on.
Yet others argue that there was a single state. This theory was based on the similarity
of artefacts, planned settlements, etc.
The last opinion is more plausible as it is doubtful that such complex decisions
were made and implemented collectively by entire communities.
The End of the Civilization

The Evidence that reflected the disappearance of the
Harappan civilization by 1800 BCE
By 1800 BCE, most of the mature Harappan sites were abandoned.
The expansion of population and its migration took place towards Gujarat,
Haryana, Western U.P, etc.
After 1900B.C.E sites which existed marked the transformation of material culture,
i.e., the disappearance of distinctive artefacts of civilization like weights, seals,
foreign trade, etc.
Writing, long-distance trade, and craft specialization also disappeared.

House construction techniques deteriorated, and large public structures were no
longer produced.
So, This indicates a rural way of life named late Harappan or successor cultures.
Several explanations for the decline of the Harappan

civilization
The reasons responsible for the end of civilization are still unknown. But probable
reasons are;
Climatic Change
Deforestation
Excessive floods
Overuse of the landscape
The shifting and or drying up of rivers
Invasion, most probably by the Aryans
The Harappan state came to an end. There is Evidence of the absence of specific
art facts like seals, pottery, etc.
Discovering the Harappan Civilization

The discoveries of the Harappan Civilisation by archaeologists were as follows :
Cunningham and his Confusions

Cunningham was the first Director General of ASI (Archaeological Survey of
India).
He was known as the father of Indian archaeology.

He began archaeological excavations in the mid-19th century.
Evidence used by Cunningham

His primary interest was in the archaeology of early history from 6th-century BCE-
4th century CE and later periods.
He used the accounts left by Chinese pilgrims who had visited the subcontinent
between the 4th and 7th centuries CE.
He also collected, documented, and translated inscriptions found during his
Excavations.
Sites like Harappa did not fit well in his area of investigation.
Alexander Cunningham Confusion

Although Harappan artefacts were found during the 19th century, some reached
Cunningham.
But he did not realize how old these were as they were not part of the itinerary of
Chinese pilgrims and were not known as Early Historic cities.
An English man gave a Harappan seal to Cunningham.
But he could not place it in the time frame with which he was familiar. He thought
that Indian history began with the first cities in the Ganga valley.
So, it is assumed that he missed the significance of Harappa.
Marshall and Wheeler adopted different methods in

reconstructing the Harappan civilization.
Daya Ram Sahni

In the early decades of the 20th century, seals were discovered at Harappa by Daya
Ram Sahni.
Rakhal das Banerji

He also found similar seals at Mohenjodaro, leading to conjecture that these sites
were part f a single archaeological culture.
John Marshall
Based on the finding of Daya Ram Sahni and Rakhal das Banerji found in 1924, John
Marshall was the Director General of the ASI.
In 1924 he announced the discovery of a new civilization in the Indus valley to

the world.
Marshall tended to excavate along regular horizontal units, measured
uniformly throughout the mound, ignoring the site’s stratigraphy.
The artefacts recovered from the same unit were grouped, even if found at different
stratigraphic layers.
As a result, valuable information about the context of these finds was

irretrievably lost.
R.E.M Wheeler
He was the Director General of the ASI in 1944.
He recognized that it was necessary to follow the stratigraphy of the mound

rather than dig mechanically along uniform horizontal lines.
R.E.M. Wheeler rectified this problem.
Problems of piecing together the past

Problems faced by archaeologists in the interpretation of religious practices of
Harappa.
The Harappan script does not help understand the Harappan civilization. The
script remains undeciphered to date.
Material remains to help the archaeologists to reconstruct Harappan’s life.
Organic materials such as cloth, leather, wood, and reeds generally decompose,
while stone, burnt clay, metal, etc., survive.
Materials such as pottery, tools, ornaments, and household objects are available.
Classifying finds (Division Of Finds Have Survived)

Recovering artefacts is just the beginning of the archaeological enterprise.
Archaeologists then classify their findings.
One simple principle of classification is in terms of materials such as stones, clay,

metal, bone, ivory, etc.
The second and most complicated, archaeologists have to decide whether, for
instance, an artifact is a tool or an ornament, or both, or something meant for
ritual use.
An understanding of the function of an artefact is often shaped by its resemblance
with present-day things-beads; querns, stone blades, and pots are prominent
examples.
Archaeologists also try to identify the function of an artefact by investigating the

context in which it was found, whether it was found in a house, drain, grave, or kiln.
Problems of interpretation
The problems of archaeological interpretation are perhaps most evident in
attempts to reconstruct religious practices.
Attempts have also been made to reconstruct religious beliefs and practices by
examining seals, some of which seem to depict ritual scenes.
Others, with plant motifs, are thought to indicate nature worship.

Many reconstructions of the Harappan religion are made on the assumption

that later traditions provide parallels with earlier ones.
This is because archaeologists often move from the known to the unknown, from the
present to the past.
Archaeologists attempt to reconstruct the religious

practices of Harappan people.
The discovery of pots, querns, beads, etc., in the Harappan sites and their
graves provide enormous information.
Traces of cotton and dresses depicted on seals and sculptures give us an idea
about the dressing style of Harappan people.
The terracotta figurines of women indicate the worship of the mother goddess.
Plant motifs suggest the practice of nature worship.
Some animals, such as the unicorn depicted on seals, seem to be mythical,
composite creatures.
In Some seals, a figure shown seated cross-legged in a ‘yogic’ posture,

sometimes surrounded by animals, has been regarded as a depiction of proto-
Siva.
Image Credit:www.harappa.com
Which is an early form of one of the major deities of Hinduism.

The conical stones indicate linga worship.
The two important structures that archaeologists have found are :
The fire altars found at Kalibangan and Lothal and The Great Bath at
Monhenjodaro were meant for ritual use.
Ncert Class 12 history chapter 1 notes:

Timeline
Timeline 1
Major periods in Early indian Archaeology
2 million BP (BEFORE PRESENT) Lower Palaeolithic
80,000 Middle Palaeolithic
35,000 Upper Palaeolithic
12,000 Mesolithic
10,000 Neolithic (early agriculturists and pastoralists)
6,000 Chalcolithic (first use of copper)
2600 BCE Harappan civilisation
1000 BCE Early iron, megalithic burials
600 BCE-400 CE Early Historic
Timeline 2
Major Developments in harappan Archaeology
1875 Report of Alexander Cunningham on Harappan seal.
1921 MS Vats begins excavations at Harappa.
1925 Excavations begin at Mohenjodaro.
1946 REM Wheeler excavates at Harappa.
1955 SR Rao begins excavations at Lothal.
1960 BB Lal and BK Thapar begin excavations at Kalibangan.
1974 MR Mughal begins explorations in Bahawalpur.
A team of German and Italian archaeologists begins surface explorations

1980
at Mohenjodaro.
1986 American team begins excavations at Harappa.
1990 RS Bisht begins excavations at Dholavira.
Class 12 history notes chapter 1 bricks beads and

bones : Important terms
Hoards: Hoards are objects kept carefully by people, often inside containers such as
pots.
Seal: It generally contained animal motifs and signs from a script to identify its user.
Stratigraphy: The study of layers.
Linga: A linga is a polished stone worshipped as a Shiva symbol.
Shamans: Shamans are men and women who claim magical and healing powers and
the ability to communicate with the other world.
Steatite: It is a type of stone that is like talc or soapstone.
Saddle querns: Saddle querns were the only means of grinding cereals and pulses.
They were made of hard, gritty rock or sandstone. The remains of saddle querns
show signs of hard usage.
Curry stones: The type of quern in which the second stone was used as a pounder,
which eventually made a cavity in the base stone, was called curry stones. This type
was possibly used only for pounding herbs and spices for making curries.
Chert: Chert was a type of stone, generally cubical with no markings. It was used in
the system of weight by the people of Harappan people.
Archaeo: Botanists: Specialists in ancient plant remains.
Mound: Reuse of the landscape results in the build-up of occupational debris.
Motif: A Symbol used by the Harappans on seals o mark some sort of trademark.
Evidence of an ‘invasion’-Theories
propounded by scholars.
Evidence of an ‘invasion’-Theories propounded by scholars. Harappan
civilization Invasion Theories By Scholars
Ncert Class 12 history chapter 1 notes:

Summary
Class 12 history notes bricks beads and bones Summary will help you to cover the
topic very fast while preparing all chapters of Ncert; our notes are already the best
but note summaries help you to cover chapters faster, and class 12 notes help you to
gain marks.
Class 12 history bricks beads and bones notes Summary
NCERT Class 12 history Chapter 1

Revision Notes Bricks beads and
bones
Class 12 History revision notes Bricks beads and bones will help you to clear your
long Ch in an easy format and help the student to score better in the exam.
Bricks, beads, and bones history revision notes will help the student complete
the syllabus quickly.
Class 12 History ch 1 Bricks beads and bones history revision notes will provide
information about Harappan Civilisation and Excellent town planning of
Harappan Civilisation and agricultural techniques that the Harrapan used and
governance of Indus valley Civilisation, Bricks beads, and bones. Class 12
history revision notes will also provide about the trade structure of Harappan.
NCERT Bricks beads and bones Revision Notes
Class 12 History chapter 1 book pdf

To download the pdf of class 12 history Ncert chapter 2,
Class 12 History Chapter 1 ईंटें , मनके

तथा अस्थियाँ Bricks, Beads and Bones
The Harappan Civilisation Notes in
Hindi
Class 12 history chapter 1 notes in hindi is under working, soon it will available for
our user stay connect with us.
Class 12 History chapter 1 notes bricks

beads and bones: FAQs
Question: What was Cunningham’s confusion class 12 history notes chapter 1 ?
Ans: Although Harappan artefacts were found during the 19th century, some
reached Cunningham.
But he did not realize how old these were as they were not part of the itinerary of
Chinese pilgrims and were not known as Early Historic cities.
An English man gave a Harappan seal to Cunningham.
But he could not place it in the time frame with which he was familiar. He thought
that Indian history began with the first cities in the Ganga valley.
So, it is assumed that he missed the significance of Harappa.
Question: What strategies adopted to identify Social differences among the

Harappans class 12 history notes chapter 1 ?
Ans: Two strategies were adopted to identify Social differences among the
Harappans:-
1. Studying Burials
Strategies to analyze social and economic differences among people living

within a particular culture include the study of burials.
At burials in Harappan sites, the dead were generally laid in pits.

Some of the pits were lined with bricks.
Some of the burials contained ornaments, pottery, etc., maybe a belief that
these things can be used afterlife.
2. Studying Artefacts
Studying artefacts is another strategy to find out social differences.

Artefacts are divided into utilitarian and luxuries.
Question: What is the Period of the Harappan Civilization class 12 history notes
chapter 1 ?
Ans: The civilization is dated between 2600 BCE and 1900 BCE
The period of the civilization is broadly divided into three parts:
1. The Early Harappan culture (Before 2600 BCE)

2. The Mature Harappan culture (2600 BCE to 1900 BCE)
3. The Late Harappan culture (After 1900)
Question: What are the important sites of the Harappan civilization class 12 history
notes chapter 1 ?
Ans: Kalibangan, Lothal, Rakhigarhi, Dholavira, Rupar, Harappa, Ganeriwala,

Chanhudaro, Sutakagendor, Mohenjodaro, Amri, Balakot, Kot Diji, Rangpur,
Nageshwar, Ganeriwala etc.
Question: What were the features of the drainage system of Harappan civilization
class 12 history notes chapter 1 ?
Ans: One of the most distinctive features of Harappan cities was the carefully
planned drainage system.
Roads and streets were laid out along an approximate “grid” pattern, intersecting at
right angles.
If domestic wastewater had to flow into the street drains, every home needed at
least one wall along a street.
The drains were made of mortar, lime, and gypsum.
They were covered with big bricks which could be lifted easily to clean the drains.
Little heaps of materials mostly sand have frequently been found alongside the
drains.
This shows that the drains were cleaned at regular intervals.
Question: What were the reasons for the decline of the Harappa civilization class 12
history notes chapter 1 ?
Ans: The reasons responsible for the end of civilization are still unknown. But
probable reasons are;
Climatic Change
Deforestation
Excessive floods
Overuse of the landscape
The shifting and or drying up of rivers
Invasion, most probably by the Aryans
The Harappan state came to an end. There is Evidence of the absence of specific
art facts like seals, pottery, etc.
Class 12 History Notes Important

Chapter
Ncert notes for Class 12 history Chapter 2 Notes
Blog
NCERT Notes for Class 12 Political Science Chapter 9 Globalisation
NCERT Notes for Class 12 History Chapter 2 KINGS FARMERS AND TOWNS

NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 1 Notes Bricks Beads and Bones in

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 1 Notes Bricks Beads and Bones in

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 1 Notes Bricks Beads and Bones in

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1/29/23, 9:41 PM NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 1 Notes Bricks Beads And Bones In English

NCERT Class 12 history Chapter

CBSE Board, UP board, JAC board, HBSE Board, Bihar

Class 12th Class

Chapter Theme one

Chapter Name BRICKS, BEADS AND BONES

NCERT Notes for Class 12 History Chapter 1 bricks

As the chapter involves an end, there is an exercise provided to assist students

Class 12 History Notes Of Chapter 1 BRICKS BEADS AND BONES is full of

NCERT Class 12 History Revision Notes

NCERT Class 12 Notes Bricks beads and bones Chapter 1 Pdf

NCERT Notes for Class 12 History

It flourished along River Indus (now in Pakistan) around 2600 B.C.

Class 12 Period of Harappan Civilization

The period of the civilization is broadly divided into three parts:

The Early Harappan culture (Before 2600 BCE)

Class 12 Important Sites Of The Harappan

Class 12 Significant Developments in

BEGINNINGS (Early archaeological

These cultures were associated with distinctive pottery, evidence of agriculture,

Subsistence strategies of the people included hunting and gathering, cultivation,

There is evidence of bones of animals which proves that people consumed

(Agriculture) Different types of food available to the

Agricultural technologies of Harappans

It is complicated to reconstruct actual agricultural practices carried out by the

Terracotta models of the plough

Image Credit: www.harappa.com

Evidence of a ploughed field has also been found at

Harappan irrigation system

Image Credit: www.harappa.com

Traces of canals have been found at the Harappan site of Shortughai in

Layout of Mohenjodaro: Architectural features

The buildings were constructed on mud-brick platforms.

The Great Bath

The Lower Town

Laying out drains

The drains were made of mortar, lime, and gypsum.

Tracking Social Differences: Strategies to find

At burials in Harappan sites, the dead were generally laid in pits.

Utilitarian artefacts include objects made of stone or clay.

Finding out about craft production

Methods of making crafts

Centre of crafts production

Shell Nageshwar, Balakot

Steatite South Rajasthan and North Gujarat

Khetri (Rajasthan). Archaeologists named the Khetri

Gold South India

Identifying centres of production.

Simply by evidence of tools, raw materials, unfinished objects, rejects, waste

Strategies for procuring materials for craft

Material from the subcontinent and beyond

Two methods of procuring materials for craft production

They established settlements in Nageshwar, Balakot, and Shortughai.

Contact with distant lands (Trade relation with the

Image Credit: www.harappa.com

Evidence of depiction of ships and boats on seals.

Seals, Script, Weights

Image Credit: www.harappa.com

Image Credit: www.harappa.com