Role of Iron and living pattern of Vedic age discussed by Harsh Kumar
Background
The Vedic age was the successor of Great Harappan Civilization in the Indian subcontinent. But the basic differences were there between both of them like Harappan’s lived in cities while Vedic age peoples were nomadic in life style and living in villages. Other major difference was the use of metal they used, as Harrapans used most of the metal like copper but they were not aware about the iron but Vedic peoples were aware of iron and used it in extensive way.
Thus, the iron played a significant role during the Vedic age in changing the life of them. We will be going to discuss about living pattern and rote of iron played during the Vedic age. Please read our previous post about Vedic age to understand the series more effectively.
Also Read :Vedic Age – Geography and Significance of Sacrifices
Vedic Age – The Religious Life
Vedic Age – Origin and Political Life
Role of Iron During Vedic Age
Vedic Aryans became of Iron metallurgy around c. 1000 BC. Gradually, the availability of Iron metal increased resulting in use of Iron for various purposes. The use of iron during the later Vedic age was explained differently by the different historians and scholars. While some believes that the use of iron was not so significant during later Vedic age and other believed that the iron was the metal which changed the life of peoples during the later Vedic age.
Role of Iron in Agriculture
According the historians like R.S. Sharma, iron plate played a very significant role during the later Vedic age. It was emphasized that Iron axes were used in clearing the forest and Iron ploughshare was used for deep ploughing. The wet paddy cultivation was becoming significant because of this deep ploughing, which was resulted by the use of iron ploughshare.
The expansion of agriculture and use of wet paddy cultivation increased the agriculture output which ultimately resulted in the attainment of state of surplus during Vedic age. Availability of surplus prepared for material foundation of second urbanization. The recent researches carried out by historians like Nihar Ranjan Roy and D.C. Chakravarty had brought to light that the role of iron was insignificant during the Vedic age.
Only one iron ploughshare has been discovered during the archeological excavation in Jakhera in Uttar Pradesh, which indicates that iron ploughshare was not frequently used during early Vedic age but during later Vedic age, used frequently. The Vedic Aryans used fire to cleared the forests as mentioned in Sathapatha Brahmana because hardly any iron axes discovered during excavation. The alluvial soil found in Gangetic valley did not require iron ploughshare for deep ploughing.
Ebony trees were found in Gangetic valley during later Vedic age and ploughshares were made using the hard ebony wood during later Vedic age. The wet paddy cultivation was a common practice in eastern India because in 6th millennium BC, the peoples of Koldiwha practiced wet paddy cultivation. This knowledge was adopted by Vedic Aryans from indigenous people. Once they moved to eastern India, the agriculture output increased significantly that result in generation of agriculture surplus which prepared foundation for the second urbanization in India.
The Role of Iron in Secondary and Tertiary Economic Activities
The knowledge of iron metallurgy resulted in emergence of new class primarily in the form of weaponry as indicated by discovery of large number of iron spearheads, arrows and swords from places like Sanjhot and Rohilkhand in Uttar Pradesh. Iron axels were used in chariots and carts which helped in improving the means od communication.
Role of Iron Political Life
The most significant impact of iron metallurgy was witnessed on politico-admin life. The use of iron weapons greatly strengthened military powers of kings, especially in those areas where iron mines were located. As a result of this the kings started pursuing aggressive expansionist policy and this is turn resulted in transformation of Janas of early Vedic age into Janapadas during the later Vedic age and Mahajanapadas during the 6th century BC.
The imperialistic outlook of kings of eastern India was far greater than kings of Northern and Western India. The kings of eastern side were far more successful in their policy of territorial expansion largely due to availability of iron and use of weapons.
The Living Pattern of Vedic Aryans
The literary sources and archeological evidences discovered provide the information of the living pattern of Vedic age peoples, which help in understanding the character and pattern of settlements during the Vedic age. During the early Vedic age, the life was essentially rural but during the later Vedic age the towns were emerged. Some scholars like G.C Pandey and G.S. Ghurye are of opinion that early Vedic Aryans were also lived in towns.
This opinion was based on the references found in the Rig Vedic Samhita. In Rig Veda, the term Grama occurs for 9 times and Pur was occurred for 85 times. Pur is referred to the fortified human settlement and it was used for towns and cities in later Vedic age. Rig Veda contains the references of the chariots and carts which were pilled by multiple horses. Such big vehicles need broad roads to run which is the indication of the Vedic settlements not having narrow streets.
The closer examination of references related to economic life and settlements in Rig Vedic Samhita clearly indicate that early Vedic age lived in villages. Their life was nomadic as they used to move from place to place. During early Vedic age, economy was pastoral. The Aryans did not practiced even agriculture. The pastoral life cannot support towns and cities. The suffixes like ‘Punar’ (resettlement) and ‘Pra’ (parvis) indicates that Vedic Aryans changed their settlement time to time.
During the later Vedic age, towns emerged in the area occupied by Vedic Aryans in the form of political centers and commercial centers. Modern 30 settlements of lower Vedic age have been excavated so far. Many of the settlements such as Ropar, Bhagwanpura, Noh, Ahichchhatra, Hastinapur, Mathura and Atranjikhera have brought to light evidence of urban life.
Some of the settlements like Bukhari (Ambala) were quite big its area was about 96,000 square metres. The archeological evidences such as Lapis Lazuli, Calcedony, Jasper and Azate found from lower Vedic age settlements indicates that the peoples of Vedic age were practicing the trade and commerce with other region because these elements were not naturally present in Vedic age settlements.
Azate and Calcedony were imported from Kashmir and Gujarat. Lapis Lazuli was found in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Vedic Aryans lived in houses made up of sun-dried bricks, wood and grass. Bamboos were used to make walls and roofs as revealed by evidences found at Ahichchhatra, Hastinapur, Atranjikhera and Jakhera. At Bhagwanpura, circular and rectangular huts have been discovered. 13 houses have been found at Bhagwanpura. It would have been probably occupied by important family.
Archeological excavations have discovered Painted Grey Ware pots used by Vedic Aryans during later Vedic Aryans. These pots were wheel made. So far, 42 designs of pottery have been discovered. Dishes and bowls were most common. A number of iron objects have been discovered from the various settlements. For example, 135 iron objects have been found in found of arrow heads and spear heads.
Thus, the texts and archeological evidences of Vedic age provides beneficial details about the use of iron and living pattern of this age.