Study Guides

Unit Summary

These units analyse the way in which archaeologists have found out about the Indus Valley Civilisation and the Shang dynasty. Whichever unit is chosen, pupils examine the archaeological record of an early civilisation and develop their knowledge of what claims are based on these remains.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain what archaeologists have learnt from studying some of the art of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Key Notes

• The people of the Indus Valley civilisation produced lots of highly decorated objects and art.
• The seals that they produced had beautiful pictures of different animals including oxen and even imaginary animals!
• These seals often had holes on the back of them and archaeologists think this could have been to hang them on a string.
• These people made beautiful jewellery out of carnelian, gold and other precious materials.
• Some of this jewellery has been found in Mesopotamia, showing that the Indus people must have traded there.

Vocabulary To Learn

• art: art is the creation of things to be beautiful, using lots of skill
• skill: being able to do something very well from training or practice is called skill
• precious: when something is of great worth or value it is said to be precious
• carnelian: carnelian is a brownish-red mineral that is often used to make jewellery

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Art from the Indus Valley civilisation has only been found in the Indus Valley.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Archaeology and the Indus Study Guide
• Cities of the Indus Valley civilisation Study Guide
• The Indus Valley Study Guide
• The mysteries of the Indus Valley civilisation Study Guide
• What archaeologists have found out about the Indus Valley civilisation Study Guide