October PERSIA READINGS
Themes
Government, Power, Influence, Authority
Readings
Read and analyze the sections below, then answer the questions.
persia_readings_oct.docx | |
File Size: | 1072 kb |
File Type: | docx |
PERSIA Shift
Special Reading
Reading 1: Harrappan Culture
http://www.archaeologyonline.net/artifacts/harappa-mohenjodaro.html
Reading 2: Aryan Invasion Debate
http://www.vedanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56&Itemid=2
Reading 3: Language on Tamil Culture
http://micheldanino.voiceofdharma.com/tamilculture.html
http://www.archaeologyonline.net/artifacts/harappa-mohenjodaro.html
Reading 2: Aryan Invasion Debate
http://www.vedanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=56&Itemid=2
Reading 3: Language on Tamil Culture
http://micheldanino.voiceofdharma.com/tamilculture.html
myth_of_the_aryan_invasion_by_david_frawley.docx | |
File Size: | 25 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Questions to Consider
Questions for Myth of Aryan Invasion
Instructions:
Read the three readings and answer the questions that follow.
Questions from Reading 1
The Harappan Civilization
1.) Even though the Indus Valley Civilization was the largest, why don’t we know much about their culture?
2.) ______ give archaeologists insight into the life of Harappans.
3.) To whom do we owe the discovery of the Indus Valley? In what year? By which cultural group?
4.) Why was excavating at Mohenjo Daro so important?
5.) What is HARP? Who established it? From which university?
6.) When did Harappa reach its height of economic expansion? How do we know? Was Harappa empty before this?
7.) Were the Harappans developed as a society? Support your opinion.
8.) True or False (Correct the false answer): Alexander Cunningham visited Harappa in 1853 and 1856 while looking for the cities that had been visited by Chinese pilgrims in the Buddhist period.
9.) What were seals used for? What was on them and what did the animal motif represent?
10.) Why was the discovery of fire alters important to finding out more about the culture of the Indus Valley?
Questions from Reading 2
Aryan Invasion Debate
11. What arguments and evidence suggest that the Aryan Invasion is a myth?
12. Do you agree with these arguments? Why or why not?
13. What role does natural history play in the migratory movements throughout India?
14. How did Sri Lanka separate from India?
15. Who were the Orang Asli? What significant role did they play regarding the Aryan theory?
16. How does Hindu view of time differ from Western views?
17. Describe the language families of India.
18. What role does linguistic play in historical speculation about the prehistory of India?
19. Why has southeast Asia been largely ignored as a cultural center in the early history of mankind?
20. What is meant by “The idea of India as a cultural patchwork is the result of poor or preliminary scholarship that has been unable to reconstruct the whole, like the blind man who cannot see the elephant as a whole”? Do you agree with this premise?
Questions from Reading 3
Vedic Roots of Early Tamil Culture
21. How did archaeology support the findings of the Megalithic culture?
22. What were some factors that influenced the Megalithic culture? Provide specific examples.
23. From the excavation sites, how did the Megalithic people express their religion/beliefs?
24. Who was the first named Chera King, who was said to have sumptuously fed the armies on both sides during the war at Kurukshetra?
A. Pandava
B. Vedic
C. Udiyanjeral
D. Saivites
25. Explain what the problem was with the early models of ancient Indian Cultures.
26. Which of these religions is not widely practiced in Tamil?
A. Buddhism
B. Hinduism
C. Sikhism
D. Jainism
27. Why was the Aryan-Dravidian or Aryan-Tamil dichotomy given up by some scholars?
28. What ethnic group took over the Tamil land and replaced it with its own culture?
A. Dravidian
B. Aryan
C. Vedic
D. Puranic
29. Describe the World Historical Context of the Tamil linguistic development.
30. Paraphrase one essential paragraph of this text. Why did you choose this one / why did it stand out for you?
Instructions:
Read the three readings and answer the questions that follow.
Questions from Reading 1
The Harappan Civilization
1.) Even though the Indus Valley Civilization was the largest, why don’t we know much about their culture?
2.) ______ give archaeologists insight into the life of Harappans.
3.) To whom do we owe the discovery of the Indus Valley? In what year? By which cultural group?
4.) Why was excavating at Mohenjo Daro so important?
5.) What is HARP? Who established it? From which university?
6.) When did Harappa reach its height of economic expansion? How do we know? Was Harappa empty before this?
7.) Were the Harappans developed as a society? Support your opinion.
8.) True or False (Correct the false answer): Alexander Cunningham visited Harappa in 1853 and 1856 while looking for the cities that had been visited by Chinese pilgrims in the Buddhist period.
9.) What were seals used for? What was on them and what did the animal motif represent?
10.) Why was the discovery of fire alters important to finding out more about the culture of the Indus Valley?
Questions from Reading 2
Aryan Invasion Debate
11. What arguments and evidence suggest that the Aryan Invasion is a myth?
12. Do you agree with these arguments? Why or why not?
13. What role does natural history play in the migratory movements throughout India?
14. How did Sri Lanka separate from India?
15. Who were the Orang Asli? What significant role did they play regarding the Aryan theory?
16. How does Hindu view of time differ from Western views?
17. Describe the language families of India.
18. What role does linguistic play in historical speculation about the prehistory of India?
19. Why has southeast Asia been largely ignored as a cultural center in the early history of mankind?
20. What is meant by “The idea of India as a cultural patchwork is the result of poor or preliminary scholarship that has been unable to reconstruct the whole, like the blind man who cannot see the elephant as a whole”? Do you agree with this premise?
Questions from Reading 3
Vedic Roots of Early Tamil Culture
21. How did archaeology support the findings of the Megalithic culture?
22. What were some factors that influenced the Megalithic culture? Provide specific examples.
23. From the excavation sites, how did the Megalithic people express their religion/beliefs?
24. Who was the first named Chera King, who was said to have sumptuously fed the armies on both sides during the war at Kurukshetra?
A. Pandava
B. Vedic
C. Udiyanjeral
D. Saivites
25. Explain what the problem was with the early models of ancient Indian Cultures.
26. Which of these religions is not widely practiced in Tamil?
A. Buddhism
B. Hinduism
C. Sikhism
D. Jainism
27. Why was the Aryan-Dravidian or Aryan-Tamil dichotomy given up by some scholars?
28. What ethnic group took over the Tamil land and replaced it with its own culture?
A. Dravidian
B. Aryan
C. Vedic
D. Puranic
29. Describe the World Historical Context of the Tamil linguistic development.
30. Paraphrase one essential paragraph of this text. Why did you choose this one / why did it stand out for you?