The Ancient Indus Valley Civilization
When 19th century explorers and 20th century archaeologists rediscovered the ancient Indus Valley civilization, the history of the Indian sub-continent had to be rewritten.* Many questions remain unanswered. The Indus Valley civilization is an ancient one, on the same order as Mesopotamia, Egypt, or China. All these areas relied on important rivers: Egypt relying on the annually flooding Nile, China on the Yellow River, the ancient Indus Valley civilization (aka Harappan, Indus-Sarasvati, or Sarasvati) on the Sarasvati and Indus rivers, and Mesopotamia outlined by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Like the people of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China, the people of the Indus civilization were culturally rich and share a claim to the earliest writing. However, there is a problem with the Indus Valley that doesn't exist in such pronounced form elsewhere. Mohenjo-Daro - From Archaeology at About.com Indus Housing Indus Economy and Subsistence Writing References
Swastika - Hindu Symbols
157Google + Swastika symbol. The swastika (Sanskrit svastika, "all is well") is a cross with four arms of equal length, with the ends of each arm bent at a right angle. The swastika is an ancient symbol that has been found worldwide, but it is especially common in India. The swastika is most commonly used as a charm to bring good fortune (in which case the arms are bent clockwise), but it has a variety of religious meanings as well, which are described below. Religious symbolism Swastika banner being hung for an Indian wedding, Mumbai. Indian man's swastika ring. Swastika rangoli (decoration welcoming visitors to a home). Bricks carved with a swastika and script, India. Graffiti in Jamalpur, India. The right-hand swastika is one of the 108 symbols of the Hindu god Vishnu as well as a symbol of the sun and of the Hindu sun god, Surya. The left-hand swastika (called a sauvastika) usually represents the terrifying Hindu goddess Kali, night and magic. Use by the Nazis Recommended: Sources
Mehluha: the Indus Valley Civilizations
In the vast plains of the Indus and Sarasvati valleys of northwest India and Pakistan, a great urban civilization arose between about 2500 and 2000 BC. While the civilization is known to archaeologists as Harappan or Indus Valley or Sarasvati-Sindhu civilizations, the only known contemporary name is "Mehluha", the Mesopotamian word for the people who came to trade and live in the great Akkadian period port cities. The great cities of the Mehluha were built along a precise grid-plan of streets and contained a sophisticated drainage system. Two of the most important urban centers, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, four hundred miles apart, have been excavated since the early 20th century; the others, including Ganweriwala, Chanhu-daro, Lothal, Dholavira, and Kalibangan, have not been as extensively investigated to date. Writing was used in Mehluha, and was perhaps invented in the Indus Valley. What happened to the Mehluha peoples?
Swastika - Meaning of the Swastika
Today in the West, the swastika is identified almost exclusively with Nazi anti-Semitism. This makes it difficult for other groups to use the symbol to represent more benevolent concepts, which the symbol has frequently embodied for thousands of years. Hinduism The swastika remains a major symbol of Hinduism, representing eternity, particularly the eternal and ever-present force of the Brahman. It is also a symbol of the present of goodness, as well as representing strength and protection. The message of eternity in the swastika is also widely used by Buddhists. Some of the oldest examples of swastikas in the world can be found in India. The symbol commonly shows up in religious texts, as well as the thresholds of buildings. Jainism The swastika is a symbol of rebirth and the four types of beings that one can be born into: heavenly, human, animal or hellish. Not only does the swastika show up in holy books and doorways, like that of the Hindus, but it is commonly used within ritual as well.
Ancient India - Ancient Civilizations for Kids
50 or 60 million years ago India slowly smashed into Asia and formed the Himalaya and Hindu Kush Mountains that nearly block off India from the surrounding area. Except for the coast, there are only a few narrow passes through the mountains such as the Khyber Pass that have allowed people to enter this land. The other main physical features are the Indus River in modern day Pakistan and the Ganges River in modern day India. The Indus River is in a very dry area called the Thar Desert--this Arid climate is the site for another of the world's first human civilizations. The archeologist have found the remains of cities to be incredibly well planned out. Farmers domesticated several plants including melons, wheat, peas, dates, sesame seeds, and cotton, as well as many animals. Ancient India was different from the Egyptians and Mesopotamians in several ways. The Indus Valley religion is also mysterious because the language hasn't been translated. Vedic Period
Ancient India for kids (and a little modern India as well)
