- Title Pages
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Plates
- Maps
- 1 The Significance of Ancient Indian History
- 2 Modern Historians of Ancient India
- 3 Nature of Sources and Historical Construction
- 4 Geographical Setting
- 5 Ecology and Environment
- 6 The Linguistic Background
- 7 Human Evolution: The Old Stone Age
- 8 The Neolithic Age: First Food Producers and Animal Keepers
- 9 Chalcolithic Cultures
- 10 Harappan Culture: Bronze Age Urbanization in the Indus Valley
- 11 Identity of Aryan Culture
- 12 The Age of the <i>Rig Veda</i>
- 13 The Later Vedic Phase: Transition to State and Social Orders
- 14 Jainism and Buddhism
- 15 Territorial States and the Rise of Magadha
- 16 Iranian and Macedonian Invasions
- 17 State Structure and the Varna System in the Age of the Buddha
- 18 The Maurya Age
- 19 The Significance of Maurya Rule
- 20 Central Asian Contact and Mutual Impact
- 21 The Satavahana Phase
- 22 The Dawn of History in the Deep South
- 23 Crafts, Commerce, and Urban Growth (200 BC–AD 250)
- 24 Rise and Growth of the Gupta Empire
- 25 Life in the Gupta Age
- 26 Spread of Civilization in Eastern India
- 27 Harsha and His Times
- 28 Brahmanization, Rural Expansion, and Peasant Protest in the Peninsula
- 29 Developments in Philosophy
- 30 Cultural Interaction with Asian Countries
- 31 From Ancient to Medieval
- 32 Sequence of Social Changes
- 33 Legacy in Science and Civilization
- Chronology of Literary Sources
- General and Survey Volumes
- Chapter 1 The Significance of Ancient Indian History Chapter 2 Modern Historians of Ancient India Chapter 3 Nature of Sources and Historical Construction
- Chapter 4 Geographical Setting Chapter 5 Ecology and Environment
- Chapter 6 The Linguistic Background
- Chapter 7 Human Evolution: The Old Stone Age Chapter 8 The Neolithic Age: First Food Producers and Animal Keepers Chapter 9 Chalcolithic Cultures
- Chapter 10 Harappan Culture: Bronze Age Urbanization in the Indus Valley
- Chapter 11 Identity of Aryan Culture Chapter 12 The Age of the <i>Rig Veda</i> Chapter 13 The Later Vedic Phase: Transition to State and Social Orders
- Chapter 14 Jainism and Buddhism Chapter 17 State Structure and the Varna System in the Age of the Buddha
- Chapter 15 Territorial States and the Rise of Magadha Chapter 16 Iranian and Macedonian Invasions
- Chapter 18 The Maurya Age Chapter 19 The Significance of Maurya Rule
- Chapter 20 Central Asian Contact and Mutual Impact Chapter 23 Crafts, Commerce, and Urban Growth
- Chapter 21 The Satavahana Phase Chapter 22 The Dawn of History in the Deep South Chapter 28 Brahmanization, Rural Expansion, and Peasant Protest in the Peninsula
- Chapter 24 Rise and Growth of the Gupta Empire Chapter 25 Life in the Gupta Age
- Chapter 26 Spread of Civilization in Eastern India Chapter 31 From Ancient to Medieval
- Chapter 27 Harsha and His Times
- Chapter 29 Developments in Philosophy Chapter 33 Legacy in Science and Civilization
- Chapter 30 Cultural Interaction with Asian Countries
- Journals and Periodical Publications
- Index
Identity of Aryan Culture
Identity of Aryan Culture
- Chapter:
- (p.94) 11 Identity of Aryan Culture
- Source:
- India’s Ancient Past
- Author(s):
R.S. Sharma
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The principal traits of Aryan culture are started by Vedic, Iranian, and Greek literary texts and cognate terms found in the proto-Indo-European languages. The texts that help to reconstruct the material and other aspects of Aryan culture comprise the Rig Veda, Zend-Avesta, and Iliad and Odyssey. These texts present agriculture and pastoralism as the principal sources of livelihood. The horse plays a crucial role in the life of the early Indo-Europeans. War chariot with spoked wheels also appear. The pit-dwelling may have developed in cold conditions. The use of birch-wood appears to be an Aryan feature along with underground houses. The fire altar is mentioned in the Rig Veda, and fire worship is very important in Avesta. Animal sacrifice was an important Aryan ritual. The cult of soma was confined to only the Iranian and Vedic peoples. The migration of the Indo-Aryans is finally described.
Keywords: Aryan culture, Rig Veda, agriculture, pastoralism, horse, animal sacrifice, soma, fire worship, Indo-Aryans, pit-dwelling
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- Title Pages
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Plates
- Maps
- 1 The Significance of Ancient Indian History
- 2 Modern Historians of Ancient India
- 3 Nature of Sources and Historical Construction
- 4 Geographical Setting
- 5 Ecology and Environment
- 6 The Linguistic Background
- 7 Human Evolution: The Old Stone Age
- 8 The Neolithic Age: First Food Producers and Animal Keepers
- 9 Chalcolithic Cultures
- 10 Harappan Culture: Bronze Age Urbanization in the Indus Valley
- 11 Identity of Aryan Culture
- 12 The Age of the <i>Rig Veda</i>
- 13 The Later Vedic Phase: Transition to State and Social Orders
- 14 Jainism and Buddhism
- 15 Territorial States and the Rise of Magadha
- 16 Iranian and Macedonian Invasions
- 17 State Structure and the Varna System in the Age of the Buddha
- 18 The Maurya Age
- 19 The Significance of Maurya Rule
- 20 Central Asian Contact and Mutual Impact
- 21 The Satavahana Phase
- 22 The Dawn of History in the Deep South
- 23 Crafts, Commerce, and Urban Growth (200 BC–AD 250)
- 24 Rise and Growth of the Gupta Empire
- 25 Life in the Gupta Age
- 26 Spread of Civilization in Eastern India
- 27 Harsha and His Times
- 28 Brahmanization, Rural Expansion, and Peasant Protest in the Peninsula
- 29 Developments in Philosophy
- 30 Cultural Interaction with Asian Countries
- 31 From Ancient to Medieval
- 32 Sequence of Social Changes
- 33 Legacy in Science and Civilization
- Chronology of Literary Sources
- General and Survey Volumes
- Chapter 1 The Significance of Ancient Indian History Chapter 2 Modern Historians of Ancient India Chapter 3 Nature of Sources and Historical Construction
- Chapter 4 Geographical Setting Chapter 5 Ecology and Environment
- Chapter 6 The Linguistic Background
- Chapter 7 Human Evolution: The Old Stone Age Chapter 8 The Neolithic Age: First Food Producers and Animal Keepers Chapter 9 Chalcolithic Cultures
- Chapter 10 Harappan Culture: Bronze Age Urbanization in the Indus Valley
- Chapter 11 Identity of Aryan Culture Chapter 12 The Age of the <i>Rig Veda</i> Chapter 13 The Later Vedic Phase: Transition to State and Social Orders
- Chapter 14 Jainism and Buddhism Chapter 17 State Structure and the Varna System in the Age of the Buddha
- Chapter 15 Territorial States and the Rise of Magadha Chapter 16 Iranian and Macedonian Invasions
- Chapter 18 The Maurya Age Chapter 19 The Significance of Maurya Rule
- Chapter 20 Central Asian Contact and Mutual Impact Chapter 23 Crafts, Commerce, and Urban Growth
- Chapter 21 The Satavahana Phase Chapter 22 The Dawn of History in the Deep South Chapter 28 Brahmanization, Rural Expansion, and Peasant Protest in the Peninsula
- Chapter 24 Rise and Growth of the Gupta Empire Chapter 25 Life in the Gupta Age
- Chapter 26 Spread of Civilization in Eastern India Chapter 31 From Ancient to Medieval
- Chapter 27 Harsha and His Times
- Chapter 29 Developments in Philosophy Chapter 33 Legacy in Science and Civilization
- Chapter 30 Cultural Interaction with Asian Countries
- Journals and Periodical Publications
- Index
