History · Ch 1 — Bricks, Beads and Bones — The Harappan Civilisation
Materials from the subcontinent and beyond
Materials from the subcontinent and beyond
Concept Overview
The Harappan civilisation was not self-sufficient in raw materials. To produce crafts, they needed resources like stone, metal, and shell, which were not available in the Indus floodplain. They used two main strategies: settling near resource-rich areas and sending expeditions to distant regions. This section explains where and how they obtained key materials.
How Materials Were Procured
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Settlements near sources
- Nageshwar and Balakot: Located where shell was available.
- Shortughai (Afghanistan): Near the best source of lapis lazuli (a highly valued blue stone).
- Lothal: Near sources of carnelian (from Bharuch, Gujarat), steatite (from south Rajasthan and north Gujarat), and metal (from Rajasthan).
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Expeditions to distant areas
- Khetri region (Rajasthan): For copper.
- South India: For gold.
- These expeditions established contact with local communities. Evidence includes finds of Harappan artefacts (e.g., steatite micro beads) in these regions. …
Figure 1.16 is a photograph of actual copper and bronze vessels recovered from Harappan sites. The image shows a collection of metal objects — typically including bowls, pots, and possibly a ladle or a jar — made from copper and its harder alloy, bronze. These vessels are not just everyday pots; they are craft products that required advanced metallurgical skill and raw materials that had to be brought from outside the Indus alluvial plain.
What the figure teaches about the topic:
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Raw material procurement: The vessels are made of copper and bronze. Copper ore was not available in the flat, alluvial floodplain of the Indus. The Harappans had to obtain it from distant sources — most notably the Khetri region of Rajasthan (mentioned in the textbook text). Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin; tin too had to be procured from outside the region (likely from Afghanistan or Central Asia). The figure thus visually reinforces the idea that Harappan craft production depended on long-distance trade and expeditions.
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Craft specialisation: The vessels are not crude — they are shaped, hammered, and sometimes cast. This shows that Harappan metalworkers were highly skilled. The presence of both copper and bronze objects indicates that artisans understood how to alloy metals to make stronger, more durable tools and vessels.
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Link to settlements: The textbook text mentions that the Harappans established settlements near sources of raw materials (e.g., Shortughai for lapis lazuli, Lothal for carnelian and metal). The copper vessels in Figure 1.16 are a finished product — the end result of a chain that began with expeditions to places like the Khetri region, where the Ganeshwar-Jodhpura culture (with its distinctive non-Harappan pottery and abundant copper objects) may have supplied copper to the Harappans. …