Ochre Coloured Pottery culture facts for kids
Ochre Coloured Pottery finds ( c.2600 - 1200 BCE )
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| Geographical range | North India |
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| Period | Bronze Age |
| Dates | c. 2000–1500 BCE |
| Major sites | Ahichchhatra Bahadrabad Bargaon Bisauli Fatehgarh Hastinapur Hulas Jhinjhana Katpalon Kausambi Mitathal Red fort Sinauli |
| Characteristics | Extensive copper metallurgy Burials with pots and copper weapons |
| Preceded by | Neolithic |
| Followed by | Black and red ware Painted Grey Ware culture |
The Ochre Coloured Pottery culture (OCP) was a civilization in India during the Bronze Age. It existed roughly between 2000 and 1500 BCE. The people of this culture lived in the northern part of India, specifically in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. This area stretches from eastern Punjab to northeastern Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh.
Archaeologists named this culture after the specific type of pottery found at their sites. The pottery had a red color that looked like ochre (a type of reddish-yellow earth pigment). This culture is important because it connects the earlier Indus Valley Civilization with later cultures in Indian history.
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Geography and Time Period
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The OCP culture flourished mostly between 2000 and 1500 BCE. However, some early pottery found near Jodhpura in Rajasthan dates back even further, to the 3rd millennium BCE.
Many OCP settlements were located along river banks. They lived near the Sahibi River and its tributaries, such as the Krishnavati and Soti rivers. These rivers flow from the Aravalli range towards the Yamuna river. Archaeologists have found ancient sites at places like Atranjikhera, Lal Qila, and Jhinjhana that date from 2600 to 1200 BCE.
By the early 2nd millennium BCE, this culture had reached the Gangetic plain. Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India found copper axes and pottery in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
Daily Life and Agriculture
The people of the OCP culture were farmers living in rural areas. They grew several types of crops to feed their families:
They also kept farm animals. They domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, and dogs. Most people lived in small villages that were close to each other. Their houses were usually made of wattle-and-daub. This is a building method using woven wooden strips covered with sticky material like wet soil or clay. They also made figures of humans and animals, as well as jewelry from copper and terracotta (baked clay).
Pottery and Copper Tools
The Ochre Pottery
The pottery made by these people is very distinct. It had a red slip (a liquid mixture of clay and water) on the outside. When archaeologists dug up these pots thousands of years later, the red color would rub off on their fingers like ochre powder. This is why it is called "Ochre Coloured Pottery." Sometimes, the pots were decorated with black painted bands or carved patterns.
Copper Hoards
The OCP people were skilled at working with metal. Archaeologists have found large collections of copper objects buried in the ground. These collections are called "copper hoards." These hoards are found in different parts of Northern India, like Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh.
Common items found in these hoards include:
- Flat axes
- Harpoons (used for fishing or hunting)
- Double axes
- Swords with special handles (antenna-hilted swords)
- Figures shaped like humans
The copper used to make these tools likely came from mines in nearby regions like Rajasthan and Bihar.
History and Origins
The OCP culture shares similarities with the Indus Valley Civilization (also known as the Harappan Civilization) that came before it. Some experts think the OCP people were the descendants of the Harappans who moved east.
Others believe the OCP people might be related to new groups moving into India, known as the Indo-Iranians. At a site called Sinauli, archaeologists found carts or chariots buried with the people. Some scientists think these carts were pulled by oxen, while others discuss if they were pulled by horses. This discovery helps historians understand how people traveled and fought in ancient times.
Some researchers believe that the people of the OCP culture spoke the same language and shared a similar lifestyle across the region. They lived at the same time as the late Harappan civilization. Between 2500 BC and 2000 BC, people in the Upper Ganga valley were even using the Indus script (a system of writing).
See also
- Kallur archaeological site
