📌 Topic 04 of 6 · Chapter 02 · Prehistoric India & IVC
Harappan Economy, Trade & Crafts
Agriculture, animal husbandry, trade with Mesopotamia, standardised weights, seals, pottery, and metallurgy.
🌾 Agriculture
- Crops grown: Wheat, barley (main crops), cotton (world’s first), sesame, mustard, peas, dates
- Rice: Evidence at Lothal and Rangpur (Gujarat) — but not a major crop
- Irrigation: Evidence of canals and water management at Dholavira
- Ploughed fields: Evidence at Kalibangan — earliest evidence of ploughing in South Asia
- Cotton: IVC people were the first in the world to grow and weave cotton
⭐ Cotton: The Harappans were the first people in the world to cultivate cotton. The Greek word for cotton — “sindon” — comes from “Sindhu” (Indus), reflecting India’s role as the original source of cotton.
🐄 Animal Husbandry
- Domesticated animals: Cattle (humped bull — most important), buffalo, sheep, goat, pig, dog, cat, elephant
- Horse: Controversial — some evidence at Surkotada, but not definitively established
- Humped bull (zebu): Most commonly depicted animal on seals — possibly sacred
🏺 Crafts & Industries
| Craft | Details | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Pottery | Wheel-made; red pottery with black designs; standardised | Found at all sites |
| Bead-making | Carnelian, lapis lazuli, gold, shell beads | Bead factory at Lothal and Chanhudaro |
| Metallurgy | Bronze (copper + tin), copper tools; no iron | Bronze tools, copper vessels |
| Textiles | Cotton weaving; evidence of spindle whorls | Cotton fabric impression on silver vase at Mohenjo-daro |
| Seal-making | Steatite seals with animal motifs and script | 2,000+ seals found |
| Weights & Measures | Standardised cubical weights (chert); ratio 1:2:4:8:16:32:64 | Found at all major sites |
🌍 Trade — Internal & External
Internal Trade:
- Extensive trade network within IVC — standardised weights and measures facilitated trade
- Raw materials imported from distant regions: copper from Rajasthan/Oman, tin from Afghanistan, lapis lazuli from Afghanistan, gold from Karnataka
External Trade — with Mesopotamia:
- IVC traded with Mesopotamia (Sumer) — modern Iraq
- Mesopotamian texts refer to trade with “Meluhha” — identified as IVC
- Exports to Mesopotamia: Cotton, beads, carnelian, lapis lazuli, ivory, timber
- Imports from Mesopotamia: Silver, tin, wool
- Lothal dockyard — evidence of maritime trade
- IVC seals found in Mesopotamia; Mesopotamian cylinder seals found in IVC sites
🔖 Harappan Seals
- Over 2,000 seals found — mostly square, made of steatite (soapstone)
- Each seal has an animal motif and script above it
- Most common animal: Unicorn (one-horned bull)
- Other animals: Humped bull, elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, crocodile
- Famous seal: Pashupati Seal — shows a figure seated in yogic posture surrounded by animals (proto-Shiva?)
- Purpose: Used for trade — stamping goods; also possibly amulets
📝 Exam Tip:
• No coins in IVC — barter system used
• No iron — Bronze Age civilisation
• Standardised weights — evidence of central authority/state control
• Meluhha = IVC in Mesopotamian texts
• Unicorn = most common animal on IVC seals
• No coins in IVC — barter system used
• No iron — Bronze Age civilisation
• Standardised weights — evidence of central authority/state control
• Meluhha = IVC in Mesopotamian texts
• Unicorn = most common animal on IVC seals