Technology and Crafts of the Harappan Civilisation
Ancient History › Indus Valley Civilisation · Topic 3.4
Harappan urbanism was based on a Bronze Age technology: smiths made bronze by mixing copper with tin (sometimes arsenic), though both metals were imported, so bronze tools are few. Other crafts were bead-making (carnelian, steatite), shell and ivory working, weaving of cotton and wool, brick-laying, boat-making, goldsmithing, seal-making and wheel-made pottery; specialised centres existed at Lothal, Nageshwar and Balakot.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Indus Valley Civilisation
At a Glance
- Metal Bronze (copper plus tin or arsenic)
- Copper from Khetri, Baluchistan, Oman
- Tin from Afghanistan
- Craft centres Lothal, Nageshwar, Balakot
- No Knowledge of iron
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Ancient History: Indus Valley Civilisation
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fourth topic of the category on the Indus Valley Civilisation. The previous topic covered farming, and this one covers technology and crafts. The next topic covers trade and commerce. Previous topic: Agriculture and Domestication of Animals in the Harappan Civilisation.
What Was Harappan Metal Technology?
In short: the Harappans made bronze tools and images, but scarce tin and copper limited how much bronze they could use.
The rise of towns rested on agricultural surplus, bronze making, other crafts and trade. The Harappans used many stone tools but knew how to make and use bronze, usually by smiths mixing tin with copper and sometimes arsenic with copper. Neither metal was easy to get, so bronze tools do not abound. Impurities in the ore show that copper came from the Khetri mines of Rajasthan, though it could also come from Baluchistan (and from Oman, according to another text). Tin was possibly brought with difficulty from Afghanistan, though old workings are said to exist in Hazaribagh and Bastar. Their bronze tools have a low tin percentage. But the kits left by bronze smiths are so many that smiths were an important group of artisans. They made images, utensils and tools and weapons such as axes, saws, knives and spears. Other tools were of chert blades (from Rohri), bone and ivory, and copper points, chisels, needles, fish-hooks, razors, mirrors and antimony rods. The Harappans did not know iron.
Which Other Crafts Flourished?
| Craft | Details |
|---|---|
| Textiles | A piece of woven cotton from Mohenjo-daro and textile impressions on objects; spindle whorls for spinning; weavers made cloth of wool and cotton; the other text also notes knowledge of silk |
| Bricklaying | Huge brick structures show an important craft and a class of masons |
| Boat-making | The Harappans navigated the coast of the Arabian Sea |
| Seals and terracotta | Seal-making and terracotta manufacture were important crafts |
| Goldsmiths | Jewellery of silver, gold and precious stones; gold and silver may have come from Afghanistan and precious stones from south India |
| Beads | The Harappans were expert bead-makers, using carnelian, jasper, crystal and steatite, with faience, shell and terracotta; exported to Mesopotamia |
| Pottery | The potter’s wheel was extensively used for glossy, gleaming red pottery with black painting |
What Tools and Ornaments Did Artisans Make?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Tools | Axes, saws, knives, chisels, needles and fish-hooks of copper or bronze; long chert blades struck from cores; bone and ivory tools |
| Weapons | Arrowheads, spearheads, celts and axes; weapons are relatively few |
| Household goods | Utensils, weighing pans, mirrors, razors and antimony rods |
| Jewellery | Beads of carnelian, jasper, crystal and steatite, metal and shell bangles, faience and gold ornaments, some etched |
| Toys and amusements | Toy carts, rattles, wheels, tops and marbles of terracotta |
This range shows craft production as an essential part of the economy, in which artisans were specialists, a feature visible in the standard sizes of bricks, weights and beads over a wide area.
Where Were the Craft Centres?
| Material | Centre or source |
|---|---|
| Shell | Nageshwar and Balakot |
| Lapis lazuli | Shortughai |
| Carnelian | Lothal |
| Steatite | South Rajasthan |
| Copper | Rajasthan and Oman |
Certain sites specialised in producing certain craft materials, and the artisans worked for urban demand and for export. Another account notes that bead and ornament making, shell bangle making and metalworking were the major crafts. Dress and ornaments were widely worn: the dancing girl found at Mohenjo-daro wears bangles in large numbers up to the upper arm. As an analytical point, the Harappans had a sophisticated technology but a thin metal supply, and this explains why most of the subcontinent did not have a full Bronze Age, a point developed in Geographical Setting of Ancient India (Monsoon, Rivers and Natural Frontiers). The trade that supplied raw materials is in Trade and Commerce of the Harappan Civilisation, and the finished art in Harappan Pottery, Images, Terracotta Figurines and Stone Work.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Craft questions Sources of metals and craft centres
- Economic link Raw materials explain the trade
- Limit Scarce tin
What Came Next?
The next topic describes trade and commerce in the Harappan civilisation. Next topic: Trade and Commerce of the Harappan Civilisation.
Key People and Terms
- Bronze Alloy of copper and tin
- Chert Fine-grained stone for blades
- Carnelian Red semi-precious stone
- Steatite Soft stone used for seals and beads
- Faience Glazed ceramic paste
- Spindle whorl Weight on a spinning spindle
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Copper from Khetri; tin from Afghanistan.
- Harappans did not know iron.
- Shell: Nageshwar and Balakot.
- Carnelian: Lothal.
- Lapis lazuli: Shortughai.
Do Not Confuse With
- Bronze and copper tools Alloy versus pure copper
- Faience and terracotta Glazed paste versus baked clay
- Khetri and Hazaribagh Copper source versus alleged tin workings
Memory Hook
Copper from Khetri, tin from afar; beads, shells and cloth; no iron at all.
Mains Angle
Questions on Harappan technology ask about metals and crafts. These points add depth.
- Metals Bronze and its limits
- Crafts Beads, shell, textiles
- Specialisation Craft centres
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the technology and craft production of the Harappan civilisation.”
How to Answer
- Bronze Alloy and sources.
- Crafts Beads, textiles, pottery.
- Centres Lothal, Nageshwar, Balakot.
- Limit Scarce metal.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Harappans make bronze?
Harappan smiths made bronze by mixing tin with copper, and occasionally arsenic with copper. Because neither metal was easily available, bronze tools were few, and the tools found contain a smaller percentage of tin than those of western Asia, Egypt and Crete.
Where did the Harappans get copper and tin?
Copper came from the Khetri mines of Rajasthan, and possibly from Baluchistan and Oman, while tin was possibly brought with difficulty from Afghanistan. Old tin workings are also reported from Hazaribagh and Bastar in India, but their use is uncertain.
Which crafts were important in Harappan towns?
Important crafts included bronze working, bead-making from carnelian and steatite, shell working, weaving of cotton and wool, brick-laying, boat-making, goldsmithing, seal-making, terracotta making and the production of wheel-made pottery, and many of these served export as well as local demand.
Which sites specialised in particular crafts?
Nageshwar and Balakot specialised in shell, Shortughai supplied lapis lazuli, Lothal produced carnelian beads, south Rajasthan supplied steatite, and Rajasthan and Oman supplied copper to the Harappan craftsmen, which shows organised specialisation of production across the Indus zone and beyond it.
Did the Harappans know iron?
No. The Harappans were a Bronze Age people who used copper, bronze, stone, bone and ivory tools. They did not know iron, which appears in the subcontinent only many centuries later in the Iron Age.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Harappan bronze was made by mixing tin with copper.
Arsenic was occasionally used.
2 The Harappans knew iron.
They did not.
3 Lothal was a centre of carnelian bead-making.
Shell was at Nageshwar and Balakot.
4 Copper for Harappan bronze came from the Khetri mines.
Tin came from Afghanistan.
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