Social Life & Food Habits of Indus Valley Civilization PDF

Indus Valley Civilization - Social Life Salient Features For All Competitive Exams #Blog-12

Dec 01, 2021 By Careericons

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BASIC FEATURES OF INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

Social Life (Social Hierarchy, Food Habits, Entertainment, Costumes, ornaments and Jewellery) of IVC Society

The social life of of the people of Harappan Civilization was systematic and organized. The Indus valley population consisted of Australoid, Mediterranean, Mongoloid and Alpine races. The approximate population of Mohenjo-Daro was 35000.

What was the social structure/ hierarchy of the indus valley civilization?

• Indus people believed in simple living and high thinking.
• The traditional family was the unit of society.
• Women were given high honour in society. The family was regulated in the name of the mother.
• The Indus Civilization had four different classes in which the society was divided - Scholars, warriors, businessmen and labourers.
• No evidence of the caste system has been found yet.

What are the basic food habits of indus valley civilization people?

• The Harappans were non-vegetarians. Wheat, barley and bread were commonly used. They used to eat fish, beef, mutton, poultry occasionally.
• Coconut, dates, pomegranate, lemon and watermelon were the chief fruits they ate.

What activities did indus valley people do for entertainment?

• They preferred indoor hobbies to outdoor amusements.
• Dance and music were their popular amusements.
• Dices, chess, fishing, hunting and swimming were the sources of entertainment.
• Gambling was also in vogue.
• On some occasions they made animals or birds fight together for their entertainment.
• Marble dolls and animals toys show that the children of Mohenjodaro were well supplied with playthings.

What costumes, ornaments and jewellery did indus valley people wear?

• The ladies were scantily dressed. They wore a short skirt that reached up to the knee, and it was held by a girdle - a string of beads. • The male used a robe with or without embroidery. It was worn over the left shoulder and under the right arm.
• Dhoti wearing was also in practice. Perhaps they did not use footwear. Cotton was used. There is no evidence of linen or wool.
• Different types of hairstyles were used but very long beards were not preferred. The dancing girl from Mohenjodaro has a ponytail. Some females have a plait tied with a bow at the end.
• Men’s hair was parted in the middle and tied with a fillet. Sometimes the hair was gathered up in a bun or coiled in a ring on top of the head.
• Beards were trimmed and upper lips were shaven. Completely shaven faces with a small beard on the chin are also noticed.
• Mirrors of bronze were very common.
• The people followed the veil system in society. Women used an article of special clothing over their heads which were flying from the backside of their heads.
• Man and woman both were fond of ornaments. Women wore fan-shaped headdresses. Small cones of Gold, Silver, Copper and Faience were worn on the sides of the head.
• The Forehead was decorated with a fillet or a headband. Ear-rings were made of coils of gold, silver, copper or faience. Probably no nose ornaments were used.
• Necklaces, fillets, armlets, finger rings and bangles were used by both sexes.
• Girdles, nose -studs, ear-studs, anklets, etc. may have been worn by women only as are proved by the statues.
• They used some sorts of collyrium, face-powders, lip-sticks, face paints and perfumery which were also exported.

Click & Learn each and every important Indian History (Ancient, Medieval & Modern) topics for all competitive exams which are listed below,

1. Stone Age,
2. Pre Historic Period,
3. Indus Valley Civilization,
4. Vedic Period,
5. Buddhism Jainism & Religious Movement,
6. Maurya & Post Mauryan Period,
7. Gupta & Post Gupta Period,
8. Emergence Of Mahajanapadas & Magadh,
9. South India Sangam Period (Chola, Chalukya, Pallava),
10. Harshavardhan Period,
11. Ancient Indian Architecture & Literature,
12. Pre Medival Period,
13. Delhi Sultanate,
14. The Mughal Empire,
15. Advent Of Europeans,
16. Initial Modern India,
17. East India Company And Nawab Of Bengal,
18. Regional States : Punjab And Mysore,
19. Governor, Governor General And Viceroy Of INDIA,
20. Impact Of British Rule On Indian Economy,
21. British Period,
22. Chronology Of British India,
23. Indian Freedom Struggle I (1857–1917), and
24. Indian Freedom Struggle II (1917–1947), etc.

Note: Read each and every articles relevent to the topics which are provided with adeqaute informations.