A Brisk Trade
The Harappans were not isolated; they were global traders.
Exports & Imports
| Type | Items |
|---|---|
| Exports | Carnelian beads, Shell bangles, Ivory, Timber, Cotton textiles, Spices. |
| Imports | Copper (likely from Oman/Rajasthan), Gold (South India), Tin, Lapis Lazuli (Afghanistan). |
Mechanism of Trade
- Seals: Thousands of steatite seals with animal motifs (Unicorn, Bull, Tiger) and script were used to stamp clay tags on goods. This certified the identity of the sender and ensured the package hadn’t been tampered with.
- Weights: A standardized system of stone weights (made of chert) usually in binary denominations ().
- Transport: Bullock carts for land; Boats for rivers/sea.
Lothal: The Port City
Lothal (Gujarat) featured a massive artificial dockyard ().
- It connected to the river/sea.
- Ships would dock here to load and unload goods.
- This is the earliest known intensive maritime activity in India.
Specialized Crafts
- Bead Making: Chanhudaro and Lothal were famous for carnelian beads. They developed special drills to bore holes in hard stones.
- Shell Working: Bangles and ladles made from conch shells (found in coastal sites like Nageshwar).
- Metallurgy: They worked with Copper and Bronze (Copper + Tin).
Tip
Bronze: The Harappans are a “Bronze Age” civilisation. Bronze is harder than copper and was used for tools, weapons, and statues (like the Dancing Girl).