Trade and Commerce of the Harappan Civilisation
Ancient History › Indus Valley Civilisation · Topic 3.5
Harappan cities lacked raw materials, so trade in stone, metal and shell, by barter, linked them to Rajasthan, Afghanistan, Iran and Mesopotamia, which called the Indus land Meluha. Goods moved by bullock-carts with solid wheels and by boat along the Arabian Sea coast. Seals, a uniform script and standard weights supported commerce, and Harappan seals, beads and carnelian have been found in Mesopotamia, Oman and Bahrain.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Indus Valley Civilisation
At a Glance
- Exchange Barter, no metal money
- Transport Bullock-carts and boats
- Colony Shortughai in northern Afghanistan
- Mesopotamian name Meluha
- Middlemen Dilmun and Makan
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Ancient History: Indus Valley Civilisation
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fifth topic of the category on the Indus Valley Civilisation. The previous topic covered technology and crafts, and this one covers the exchange of goods. The next topic covers social organisation and polity. Previous topic: Technology and Crafts of the Harappan Civilisation.
What Did Trade Look Like Inside the Culture Zone?
In short: the cities needed raw materials from outside, so trade was central to Harappan life.
The importance of trade is shown by granaries at Harappa, Mohenjo-daro and Lothal, numerous seals, a uniform script and regulated weights and measures over a wide area. The Harappans traded considerably in stone, metal and shell within the culture zone. Their cities lacked the raw materials for their products, but they had no metal money and in all probability exchanged by barter. In return for finished goods and possibly food grains, they got metals from neighbouring areas by boat, navigating the coast of the Arabian Sea, and by bullock-cart. They knew the wheel, and carts with solid wheels were used at Harappa, a form like the modern ekka but without spokes. They had commercial links with Rajasthan, and another account notes they interacted with various regions of India and acquired and processed raw materials. Craft centres supplied materials, as in Technology and Crafts of the Harappan Civilisation.
How Far Did the Trade Reach?
| Region | Links |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | A trading colony in northern Afghanistan at Shortughai, rich in lapis lazuli, facilitated trade with Central Asia; tin and gold may have come from Afghanistan |
| Iran | Commercial links with Iran; trade in luxury goods passed through Elam |
| Mesopotamia | Links with the Tigris and Euphrates basins; many Harappan seals found in Mesopotamia; Harappans imitated some cosmetics of Mesopotamian urban people; cuneiform records from about 2350 BC mention trade with Meluha |
| Persian Gulf | Two intermediate trading stations, Dilmun (probably Bahrain) and Makan, lay between Mesopotamia and Meluha; a Harappan jar was found in Oman; seals, weights, dice and beads at Sumerian sites in Oman, Bahrain, Iraq and Iran |
The Harappans carried on long-distance trade in lapis lazuli, which may have contributed to the social prestige of the ruling class. They exported carnelian, lapis lazuli, copper, gold and varieties of wood, and beads and ornaments to Mesopotamia. In return the Valley imported metals including tin.
What Supported the Trade?
Seals served as identity markers on goods and as marks of ownership, and about 2000 seals are known. A script of 250 to 400 pictographs recorded property and accounts, though it is undeciphered. Standard weights, in a binary system (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32) with the 16th ratio weighing 13.63 grams, and a scale in which one inch was about 1.75 cm, supported transactions; cubical chert weights are widespread. A civic authority may have secured routes and uniformity, as in Social Organisation and Polity of the Harappan Civilisation. Seals and weights are covered in Harappan Script, Seals, Weights and Measures.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tools of exchange | Barter; seals; weights |
| Transport | Bullock-carts, boats along the coast |
| Main imports | Metals, lapis lazuli, tin, gold, silver |
| Main exports | Carnelian, beads, ornaments, copper goods, wood, possibly grain |
What Was the Importance of Trade?
The evidence suggests an urban economy that depended on external trade for raw materials and for luxury goods, so the collapse of the long-distance trade is cited as a cause of decline: the rise of Elam about 2000 BC interrupted the supply of Harappan goods to Mesopotamia and Mesopotamian imports such as tin to the Valley, depriving craftsmen of their livelihood. The Harappan rulers appear to have been more concerned with commerce than with conquest. As an analytical point, the Indus cities were part of a wide Bronze Age network stretching to the Gulf and Mesopotamia, and this trade, more than conquest, explains their prosperity and their vulnerability, which is explored in Decline of the Indus Civilisation.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Terms Meluha, Dilmun and Shortughai are Prelims favourites
- Economic basis Why the cities depended on trade
- Link Trade break-up and decline
What Came Next?
The next topic describes the social organisation and polity of the Harappan civilisation. Next topic: Social Organisation and Polity of the Harappan Civilisation.
Key People and Terms
- Meluha Mesopotamian name for the Indus region
- Dilmun Gulf trading station, probably Bahrain
- Makan Gulf trading station
- Shortughai Harappan colony in Afghanistan
- Lapis lazuli Blue stone from Badakhshan
- Barter Exchange without money
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Mesopotamian records from about 2350 BC mention Meluha.
- Dilmun is probably Bahrain.
- Harappan colony: Shortughai.
- No metal money; barter.
- Carts with solid wheels.
Do Not Confuse With
- Meluha and Makan Indus region versus a Gulf stage
- Seals and sealings Stamps versus impressions made with them
- Barter and coined money Exchange of goods versus metal coins
Memory Hook
No coins, only barter; carts and boats to Shortughai, Dilmun and Meluha’s markets.
Mains Angle
Questions on Harappan trade ask about extent and goods. These points add depth.
- Inside Raw materials and barter
- Abroad Afghanistan, Iran, Mesopotamia
- Importance Basis of cities and cause of decline
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the trade and commercial contacts of the Harappan civilisation.”
How to Answer
- Internal Barter and raw materials.
- External Shortughai, Dilmun, Meluha.
- Support Seals, weights, carts.
- Effect Prosperity and decline.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the Harappans trade without metal money?
The Harappans did not use metal money and in all probability exchanged goods by barter. They obtained metals from neighbouring areas in return for finished goods and possibly food grains, and seals and standard weights regulated transactions.
What was Meluha?
Meluha was the ancient Mesopotamian name for the Indus region. Mesopotamian records from about 2350 BC onwards refer to trade relations with Meluha, with Dilmun and Makan serving as intermediate trading stations in the Persian Gulf.
Where did the Harappans have a trading colony?
The Harappans set up a trading colony at Shortughai in northern Afghanistan, which gave access to lapis lazuli and facilitated trade with Central Asia. They also had links with Iran, Rajasthan and Mesopotamia, so the colony was part of a wider network.
What goods were traded by the Harappans?
They exported carnelian, beads and ornaments, copper goods, wood and possibly grain, and imported metals such as tin, gold and silver, and lapis lazuli. Long-distance trade in lapis lazuli was important to the ruling class's prestige.
What evidence shows Harappan contact with Mesopotamia?
Many Harappan seals have been found in Mesopotamia, along with weights, dice and beads at Sumerian sites, and a Harappan jar at Oman. Cuneiform records mention Meluha, and Harappans imitated some cosmetics used by Mesopotamian urban people.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Meluha was the Mesopotamian name for the Indus region.
Records go back to about 2350 BC.
2 The Harappans used metal coins for trade.
They used barter.
3 Dilmun is probably identifiable with Bahrain.
It was an intermediate trading station.
4 Shortughai in northern Afghanistan was a Harappan trading colony.
It gave access to lapis lazuli.
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