NCERT HISTORY CLASS-VI
CHAPTER-VIII PART-II
FINDING OF CITIES
There are many pieces of evidence found by Archaeologists that help us to find about the early life in the cities. The lives of people were also depicted in sculptures that are placed in pillars and gateways for decoration. Around 2500 years ago, many cities were developed, the capital cities of Mahajanapadas, which is well fortified with massive walls. Many pots and rows of ceramic rings were placed one above another called Ring wells. This was mostly found in individual houses which are used as toilets, drains, and garbage dumps. Other important resources are Sailors and travelers who came here and describes a detailed account of the ports they visit.
Also, many stories help us to find about the cities.
The stories that were composed by normal people were called Jatakas which were written down and preserved by monks.
A CLEVER POOR MAN - Jataka story
- At first, the clever poor young man sold his only resource of dead rat to a hotel cat for a coin.
- The king's garden was littered with woods and leaves due to a heavy storm that night, The guard can't able to clean all this alone, so the young man offers to clean all these if the guard allows him to take all these. He agreed and the young man offered the children sweets to collect all woods and leaves.
- He sold all these woods and leaves to the potter for fuel and he paid him well.
- Then he provided water to 500 grass cutters and favored a return of grass bundles from each. So, he received 500 bundles.
- Cleverly, he supplied all bundles to demand, food for horses, and earned thousands of coins.
IMPORTANCE OF MATHURA
Often many small towns were considered as the most important place for various reasons. Example: MATHURA
- 2500 years ago, it was an important settlement. After 500 years from that, it becomes the capital of Kushanas.
- An important crossroad of two major trade routes passes through it.
- Well fortified around the city and many religious centers with monasteries and shrines.
- An adjoining area for farmers and herders to provide food to all the cities.
- Several inscriptions, statues, and extremely fine sculptures were found in Mathura.
CRAFTS
Archaeologists found mirror-like shiny pottery in the northern part of the subcontinent called Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW), which is a hard, wheel-made, metallic black surface. Many crafts made of clothes were not survived longer, The major centers of cloth manufacturers were Varanasi and Madurai. The craftspersons and merchants formed an association called Shrines, which provides training, produces raw material, and finished products. They trade them, served as banks, and support religious institutions.
ARIKAMEDU - A closser look
Arikamedu ( in Puducherry) was a coastal settlement where goods were imported and loaded in a warehouse from distant places. The goods include pottery from the Mediterranean region and stamped red glazed pottery called Arretine land which is named after the city in Italy. One kind of this is made by pressing the wet clay into stamped molds, and the other form was made locally. Gems, glassware, roman lambs, small tanks for dyeing the cloths, Beads made from semi-precious stones were also found at these sites.