1. Kingdom of the Ganges
Aryan
Civilization
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2. Arrival of Aryans in 1500 B.C.
1. Migrated from southern Russia
2. With superior weapons and chariots
conquered Indus region

3. Who were the Aryans?
• Invaders from central Europe
(Russia/Germany)
• Entered India through the Khyber Pass
• Herders in search of pasteur land
What kind of people were they?
1. War like
2. Nomadic Herdsmen
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5. Two periods of Aryan Civilization
• The Vedic Age (1500 – 1000 BC)
• The Epic Age (1000 – 500 BC)
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6. 1. The Vedic Age
a. Named after the Vedas (knowledge)
 A collection of 4 poems and sacred hymns
 The Aryans preserved these stories, hymns,
and poems without written language – they
relied on oral tradition
• Everything we know about the early
Aryans comes from these Vedas
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7. 2. The Epic Period
a. This period is known for their two
marvelous epics:
 The Ramayana
 The Mahabharata
• They mix history, mythology, adventure,
and religion
• They also depict stories about Aryan life,
wars, and accomplishments
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8. Th e R a m a ya n a
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9. Th e M a h a b h a ra ta
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10. BRAHMINS
priests
KSHATRIYAS
warriors
VAISYAS
herders, farmers, merchants craftspeople
SUDRAS
(Non-Aryans)
farm workers, servants, laborers 10