Sources of History Class 6 History Notes Maharashtra State Board
A number of objects used by our ancestors still exist. Some inscriptions from the past have been recovered. Sources like these help us to understand our history. History can also be learned through customs and traditions, folk arts, folk literature as well as historical documents. All these are known as ‘sources of history’. There are three types: material sources, written sources, and oral sources.
Material Sources
Man uses a variety of things in his day-to-day life. They are known as artifacts. Artifacts used by humans in the past provide us with valuable information about life in ancient times. We can decide the period of ancient artifacts like earthern pots by studying the shape, colour, and designs of ancient potsherds. The ornaments and other artifacts throw light on social interaction. We get information about the diet of the people from the remains of foodgrains, seeds, and bones of animals found in excavations. Also, we find the remains of houses and buildings built in different historical periods. We also find ancient coins and seals. All these give us information about human activities in the past. All such artifacts, articles, monuments or their ruins are called the ‘material sources’ of history.
Food grains do not last long. They get easily infested and turn into powder. In ancient times, people used to roast food grains before grinding them. If a few grains got charred while roasting, they were thrown away. Such charred grains can remain intact for a very long period. During excavations, such charred grains can be recovered. When these are inspected in a laboratory, we come to know what grain it is.
Written sources of history include inscriptions carved on temple walls, walls of rock-cut caves and rocks; inscriptions on copper plates, pots, bricks, and writing sheets made from palm leaves and birch bark, etc.
Written Sources
The Stone Age people recorded many events and expressed their emotions in paintings on rocks. It was only after thousands of years that man learned the art of writing. In the beginning, humans used symbols and signs to record their thoughts and ideas. However, it took thousands of years for a script to develop from these.
In the beginning, man wrote on potsherds, and unbaked bricks using pointed objects. He also used birch (bhurja) tree bark to write on. As his experience and knowledge increased, he began to write in different ways. He began to record the events that took place around him. Accounts of the proceedings of royal courts were also written systematically. Many rulers had their orders, judicial decisions, donations, etc inscribed on stone or copper plates. Over a period of time, many forms of literature developed. They included books on religious and social subjects, plays, poetry, travelogues, and scientific works. All this literature helps us to understand the history of the various historical periods. These sources are known as the ‘written sources of history’.
Bhurjapatra means writing sheets made from the bark of a birch tree. Bhurja is the Sanskrit name of the birch tree. Birch trees are found in Kashmir.
Oral Sources
Owis, folk songs, folk tales, and similar literature are passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth. This literature is not in the written form. Its authors are unknown. This type of literature preserved by oral tradition forms the ‘oral sources’ of history.
Sources of Ancient Indian History
The ancient period of Indian history extends from the Stone Age to the eighth century CE. We learn about the Stone Age period of Indian history through archaeological excavations. Since scripts had not been developed at that time, no written sources were available. However, information about the ancient period from 1500 BCE onwards can be derived from Vedic literature. In the beginning, the Vedas were not in the written form. The ancient Indians had developed the technique of memorizing and reciting them.
The Vedas were written down later on. The Vedas and the post-Vedic literature form an important source of ancient Indian history. It includes the Brahmanas, the Upanishads, the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, the Jain and Buddhist literature, plays, poems, stone and pillar inscriptions, travelogues of foreign travelers, etc. We also learn about ancient Indian history through material sources like archaeological remains, ancient monuments, and coins found in excavations.
Precautions to be taken while Writing History
It is necessary to take precautions while using these sources to write history. A written document cannot be said to be authentic just because it is old – it needs to be examined critically as to who wrote it, why, and when it was written. The conclusions drawn on the basis of various genuine documents have to be crosschecked and corroborated with one another. Such a critical analysis is very important in the writing of history.
Good Maharashtra State Board Class 6 History Notes Sources of History can simplify complex concepts and make studying more efficient.