10. Historic Period

(a) Where did the people in the New Stone Age establish their village-settlements?
The people in the New Stone Age established their village-settlements on the banks of rivers, where fertile soil and a constant supply of water were available for growing crops.

(b) What articles were the Harappan craftsmen skilled at making?
The Harappan craftsmen were skilled at making bronze objects and beads of colourful semi-precious stones.

(a) What are some of the well-known characteristics of Harappan cities?
The well-known characteristics of Harappan cities are:

1. The cities were built according to a systematic town plan.
2. Roads ran parallel to each other and crossed at right angles, dividing the city into blocks in which the houses were built.
3. There were huge granaries and spacious houses.
4. Great care was taken of public hygiene: every house had a bathroom and a latrine, and the cities had a covered drainage system.
5. Private and public wells were carefully constructed.
6. Each city was divided into two to four parts, and every part had its own fortification.

(b) What made the soil on the banks of the Nile fertile?
The river Nile floods every year. When the floodwaters recede, they leave behind a layer of fertile silt on the land along the banks, and this deposit made the soil very fertile. The ancient Egyptians also built small embankments to store the floodwater; once the soil in it had settled to the bottom, the water was used for irrigation.