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Mesopotamian seals were found in Harappan
cities. This confirms that trade existed between
both these civilizations. A dockyard has been
found at Lothal which shows that Harappans
were familiar with ships. Also, there were work-
shops where stone, shell, beads and metal were
Toys
found. There was brisk trade with the persian gulf
region, Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Can you guess what the pictures above show? Some
archaeologists found these discs and they feel
children might have played with them just as you play List all the occupations of the people. Were some of
‘pitthoo’?
these different from earlier times?
Did the Indus people use money?
Rulers
Indus Valley traders did not use money, so they Who ruled these cities? Since we have been
probably exchanged goods. They might swap
unable to decipher the script, we are also not
two sacks of wheat for one basket of minerals.
able to say what kind of government the
Archaeologists discovered flat pieces of stone Harappans had. We have found evidence that
with writing carved into them. At first they were show very planned towns, uniformity in many
confused, but then they realised these stones objects and in lifestyle. This makes us believe that
were seals. Over 3,500 have now been found! some kind of central government might have
If you pressed the seal into soft clay, it left a copy existed to control and supervise activities. Some
of itself on the clay. When the clay dried hard, it of the figurines also show differences in dress and
could be used as a tag, which could then be tied ornaments. So, we may say that a ruling class did
to a pot or basket. exist. Since trade seemed to have been very
Archaeologists think that the Indus traders might important, the trading class might have been
have used seals like labels, to show who owned a powerful.
sack of grain, or that the correct city tax had been MAJOR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF THE
paid. INDUS PEOPLE
Lots of seals have pictures of animals on them,
including elephants, rhinoceros, tigers and fish-
eating crocodiles.
Trade
Trade was very important to the people. Since
we find models of carts and boats, it seems that
they used both the river and the road for carrying
things. The cities must have traded with each
other as well as with outsiders. Many types of
weights and measures have been found. The
seals might have been used by traders to stamp g The Indus people probably worshipped
their goods. Some Harappan Seals have been Mother Goddess, in addition to male and
found in the cities of ancient Mesopotamia and female deities.
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