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# TRIBES, NOMADS AND SETTLED COMMUNITIES **Section 5** You saw in Chapters 2, 3, and 4 how kingdoms rose and fell. While this was happening, new crafts and production activities flourished in towns and villages. Over the centuries, important political, social and economic developments happened. H...

# TRIBES, NOMADS AND SETTLED COMMUNITIES **Section 5** You saw in Chapters 2, 3, and 4 how kingdoms rose and fell. While this was happening, new crafts and production activities flourished in towns and villages. Over the centuries, important political, social and economic developments happened. However, social change wasn't the same everywhere, as different types of societies evolved differently. Understanding *how* and *why* this happened is important. In many parts of the subcontinent, society was already divided according to the rules of varna, as prescribed by the Brahmanas. These rules were accepted by the rulers of large kingdoms, making the differences between the rich and poor, and the high and low, increasingly pronounced. Under the Delhi Sultans and Mughals, the hierarchy between social classes continued to grow. **Beyond Big Cities: Tribal Societies** However, other types of societies also existed. Many societies in the subcontinent deviated from the social rules and rituals prescribed by the Brahmanas. These societies were not divided into various unequal classes. These societies are often called tribes. **Figure 1: Tribal Dance** *Santal painted scroll* **(Image Description: A visual representation of a tribal dance, likely from a Santal painted scroll. The image depicts multiple figures engaged in a dance, with some holding drums or other instruments. The figures are stylized and appear to be of dark color, possibly depicting the Santal people. The background suggests a pattern or color scheme.)**