The Aryans

Aryans left homeland about

2000 B.C. & migrated to Indus River Valley –

1500 B.C.

Aryans left homeland about

2000 B.C. & migrated to Indus River Valley –

1500 B.C.

AryansAryans•Lived in grassland of the Black & Caspian Seas

•Indo-Europeans•Herded cattle, goats, and sheep

•Tamed the horse•Developed chariot

•Lived in grassland of the Black & Caspian Seas

•Indo-Europeans•Herded cattle, goats, and sheep

•Tamed the horse•Developed chariot

Aryan Life•Lived in houses of bamboo or wood

•Left poetic records – the Vedas

VedasVedas•A collection of hymns and poems

•Passed on through oral tradition

•Main source of information about Aryan life

•A collection of hymns and poems

•Passed on through oral tradition

•Main source of information about Aryan life

Vedic PeriodVedic Period•Period from 1500-600

B.C.•4 Vedas•Rig-Veda is oldest collection

•Written in Sanskrit

•Period from 1500-600 B.C.

•4 Vedas•Rig-Veda is oldest collection

•Written in Sanskrit

Aryan ReligionAryan Religion•Brought new religion with them

•Worshipped many gods•Priests sacrificed food and drink to gods in sacred fires

•Brought new religion with them

•Worshipped many gods•Priests sacrificed food and drink to gods in sacred fires

Aryan Social System: Made up of 4 varnas

Aryan Social System: Made up of 4 varnas

•Priests or Brahmins: performed religious rituals

•Rulers & warriors: ruled and protected society

•Merchants & farmers: supplied food clothing and other goods

•Servants

•Priests or Brahmins: performed religious rituals

•Rulers & warriors: ruled and protected society

•Merchants & farmers: supplied food clothing and other goods

•Servants

Only males from top three classes could study the

Vedas

Only males from top three classes could study the

Vedas

Social Sub-groupsSocial Sub-groups•Sub-groups were called Jatis

•Person was born into Jatis and remained there for entire life

•Sub-groups were called Jatis

•Person was born into Jatis and remained there for entire life

Caste SystemCaste System•Caste System developed as a result of classes

•Caste: a unit into which a person is born and cannot change

•Caste System developed as a result of classes

•Caste: a unit into which a person is born and cannot change

Aryans were concerned with ritual

cleanliness and ranked jobs

according to purity.

Aryans were concerned with ritual

cleanliness and ranked jobs

according to purity.

UntouchablesUntouchables•One who falls outside the Hindu social system

•Performed dirtiest tasks such as dealing with dead bodies

•One who falls outside the Hindu social system

•Performed dirtiest tasks such as dealing with dead bodies

Vedic ReligionVedic Religion•Brahman had three roles: creator, sustainer, and destroyer

•These roles evolved into three different gods

•Brahman had three roles: creator, sustainer, and destroyer

•These roles evolved into three different gods

Three rolesThree roles

•Brahma – creator•Vishnu – sustainer•Shiva - destroyer

•Brahma – creator•Vishnu – sustainer•Shiva - destroyer

three godsthree gods

BrahmaBrahma

VishnuVishnu

ShivaShiva

Accomplishments of the Aryans

Accomplishments of the Aryans

•New language•New gods•New social order

•New language•New gods•New social order

The Aryan religion

evolved into Hinduism!

The Aryan religion

evolved into Hinduism!