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Vedic Civilization Facts & Worksheets

The Vedic Civilization was formed primarily by migrating Indo-Aryans that originated in Central Asia and travelled to India.

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The Vedic Period, or the Vedic Age, refers to the period in the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age in the history of India. It is considered that the Vedic Age of Ancient India is the heroic age of the ancient Indian civilization. The Vedic Age was considered a crucial period in the history of the Indian subcontinent.

See the fact file below for more information on the Vedic Civilization or alternatively, you can download our 30-page Vedic Civilization worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Vedic Age

  • Vedic civilization was focused in the northern and northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent. 
  • On the Indo-Gangetic Plains of the Indian subcontinent, the civilization flourished in 1500 BCE and 500 BCE. 

Vedas

  • The Vedas were composed during the Vedic Period. 
  • The texts are about life during the Vedic Period. They were interpreted to be historical and serve as the primary source for understanding the Vedic Period.
  • Through these documents and archaeological records, the evolution of the Indo-Aryan and Vedic cultures can be traced. 
  • The Vedas were composed and orally transmitted by Old Indo-Aryan speakers who had migrated into the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent. 
  • The Vedas are a collection of oral poetry and prose, hymns, prayers, spells, and commentaries. 
  • Early Indo-Aryans were organized into tribes.
  • They primarily lived a pastoral way of life and consisted of semi-nomadic tribes led by warrior chieftains. 

The Aryans

  • The Aryans came from central Asia and spoke an Indo-European language. 
  • They brought to India a religion that was based on the worship of several gods and goddesses.
  • A focal part of their worship was the practice of fire ceremonies of the god Agni. 
  • They also had another god called Indra, or the High God. 
  • The Aryans also practiced the concept of “Cycle of Life,” or reincarnation of the soul from one life to another.
  • The Aryan culture spread eastward around 1200-1000 BCE to the fertile western Ganges Plain. 
  • The use of iron tools was adopted. 
  • They settled down as rulers in India over the Dravidian population and formed tribes and kingdoms.
  • The kingdoms were usually at war with one another, and the violent times can still be heard about in the “Mahabharata,” one of the greatest epics of ancient India.

The Early Vedic Period (Rigvedic Period)

  • A collection of religious hymns and allusions to different myths and stories is called Rigveda. 
  • It was composed in the Rigvedic Period.
  • This may be the oldest literary document in existence. 
  • Some books contain elements from the pre-Vedic, common Indo-Iranian society. 
  • Between the Andronovo culture and the Mittanni kingdoms, there were also similarities that made it difficult to define the precise beginning of the Rigvedic period. 

Features of the Rigvedic Period

Political Organization

  • During the Rigvedic Period, political units were comprised of Grama, Vish, and Jana. 
  • The “Jana” (people) was considered the biggest political unit, next was “Vish” (clan), then lastly Grama (village). 
  • “Gramani” was the term used to refer to Grama’s leader, “Vishpati” for the Vish, and “Jyeshta” for Jana.
  • The “Rajan” (king) governs the “rashtra” (state). 
  • He was also known as “Gopa,” which means protector, and “Samrat” which means supreme ruler. 
  • The “Purohita” (chaplain) and “Senani” (army chief) assisted the Rajan in his duty in protecting the tribe. 
  • There were four councils named Sabha, Samiti, Vidhata, and Gana. 
  • Women were only allowed to attend Sabha and Vidhata. 
  • The Sabha was less political and composed of a selected body of the elders or nobles.

Society and Economy

  • There was social stratification.
  • The cows and bulls were labeled with religious significance. 
  • Agriculture flourished and families became patriarchal.

Religious Practices

  • The main deities they worshipped were Agni (the sacrificial fire) and Soma. 
  • People also worshipped Mitra-Varuna, Surya (Sun), Vayu (wind), Usha (dawn), Prithvi (Earth), and Aditi (the mother of gods). 
  • Yoga and Vedanta became the basic elements of the religion.
  • The composers of the hymns for the Rigveda, called Rishis, were considered divine. 
  • The principal modes of worship were sacrifices and verse chanting.

The Late Vedic Period

  • After the 12th century BCE, the principal economic activity during the Later Vedic Period was agriculture. 
  • The use of iron axes and plows was improved and this enabled the Indo Aryans to settle in the forests of the western Ganges Plain. 
  • Cattle rearing became significant. 
  • Land and protection became important as well because there were several large kingdoms that emerged.
  • Agricultural expansion paved way for the increase in trade and competition for resources. 
  • The Indo-Aryans cultivated wheat, rice, and barley.
  • Also developed were new crafts, such as carpentry, leatherwork, tanning, pottery, jewelry crafting, textile dyeing, and winemaking.
  • Economic exchanges were done through gift-giving while barter was done using cattle as their currency unit. 
  • In some hymns, trade items in the form of gold, silver, bronze, copper, tin, and lead were mentioned but the use of coins was not indicated.
  • The beginning of outside influence in Vedic society was manifested with the invasion of Darius I. 
  • It continued into what is known as the Indo-Greek Kingdom.
  • It mostly covered different parts of South Asia and was focused mainly on modern Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Features of the Late Vedic Period

Political Organization

  • There was an increasing power for the king. 
  • Political units became huge kingdoms called Mahajanapadas and urbanization began.
  • Regions that were separated by far distances were easily accessed and commerce and travel flourished. 
  • Rituals were widespread such as rajasuya, (royal consecration), vajapeya (chariot race), and ashvamedha (horse sacrifice).

Society and Economy

  • Varna became stricter than before. 
  • The social status of Brahmanas and Kshatriyas increased and there was restricted social mobility. 
  • Kshatriyas started collecting wealth and utilizing the services of the Brahmins. 
  • Some castes were slowly degraded. 
  • It was stated that the proper pronunciation of verses was considered essential for prosperity and success in war. 
  • The later Vedic Period started giving rise to the period of the Middle kingdoms of India.

The Varnas

Shudras 

  • They were the artisans and workers. Shudras were the only class in society who could accept another’s employment. Other Varnas were sufficient financially and in terms of occupation.

Vaishyas 

  • They were the farmers, merchants, and business people. This class was considered a productive class. Vaishyas, Kshatriyas, and Brahmanas were also referred to as twice-born. This meant that they accepted the sacred thread and must perform some rituals and passage rites.

Kshatriyas

  • They were the warriors, police, and administrators. This class was the nobility and was considered the protectors of society. Along with a number of privileges, however, they were expected to show a significant strength of their body and character.

Brahmanas 

  • This class consisted of priests, teachers, and intellectuals. They often provided education and spiritual leadership. Even though they were expected to live frugally, their basic needs were fulfilled in order to dedicate themselves to their spiritual tasks.

Vedic Civilization Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Vedic Civilization across 30 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Vedic Civilization which was focused in the northern and northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent during the Vedic Period.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Vedic Civilization Facts
  • Vedic Age
  • Deity
  • Social Stratification
  • Poetry
  • What Went Wrong?
  • Vedic Political Unit
  • Traditions
  • Identification
  • Matching Type
  • Varnas

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Link will appear as Vedic Civilization Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 8, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.