The secrets behind the world’s first global economic hubs
Ira Gupta pursued a Masters in Transport Planning & Engineering from the University of Leeds in 2002. She lived in London for many years working as an infrastructure advisory consultant. She is involved in a number of industry and research ventures focusing on transport and energy transition. She currently splits her time between India and Southeast Asia.
A ‘global’ ancient world
There has never been a moment like this on our planet where movement of people, goods and information is more rapid than ever before. Many of us see globalization as a modern construct. Yet, more than 5,000 years ago, as the first bronze age cities emerged, a thriving international trade network was already taking shape.
This is a snapshot of the extraordinary maritime and land-based trade links between the first global economic hubs of the world.
The Indus Civilisation — some context
The Indus Civilisation, also called the Harappan Civilisation, lay hidden to the world for thousands of years until it was discovered in 1924. At its peak, the Indus Civilisation covered an area larger than ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt combined. The mature phase of the civilization started around 2500 BCE and lasted nearly 700 years, covering numerous ‘metropolises’, ports and trade outposts. These settlements were nestled around the plains of two river systems, the Indus and the erstwhile Saraswati, covering parts of modern Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
Indus Civilisation stands out for its magnificently planned towns and thousands of smaller settlements spread over an area four times the size of the UK. Indus towns attracted skilled professionals and international traders. The Indus script remains untranslated and its residents are still a mystery. However, there is one thing everyone agrees on: the Indus folk were exceptional traders. They had deep knowledge of river systems, seas and land routes. These trade networks were the throbbing heart of the Indus civilization.
Kickstarting an international supply chain
Indus artisans procured raw materials from hundreds of kilometres away and finished goods made their way as far as modern-day Greece, Turkey and China through a network of merchants.
Goods were distributed, and re-distributed using both river-based and ‘animal routes’. A rudimentary transhipment model was in place where raw materials and goods could be consolidated at a location and transferred from one laden cart to a fresh convoy.
This sort of efficiency is a hallmark of the Indus society. The adjacent figure shows some key trade networks linking Indus sites with Central Asia and the Middle East.
Indus specialities
Indus settlements contained districts of specialised crafts and industry. The most common exports included jewellery made in gold, silver, amethyst, onyx, lapis lazuli and turquoise. The highly sought-after carnelian beads were considered prized items within and outside Indus regions. Some long carnelian beads have been discovered at the royal cemetery in Ur, Mesopotamia. In fact, etched carnelian beads have been found in China, Siberia and South East Asia, suggesting secondary trade or cultural influence.
Image source: Sophie Méry
Other items of export included glazed pottery, ivory objects and foodstuffs. The adjacent image shows a black slip jar used for storing liquids such as oil, or perhaps something a bit stronger! A similar one has been found in the Oman peninsula during recent field visits.
Developing a coordinated trade strategy
Written evidence from Mesopotamia confirms the presence of Indus ‘expats’ or diplomats in their cities overseeing a prized trade relationship. Hundreds of seals and Indus artifacts have been found in modern day Bahrain, Oman, Iran and Iraq pointing to a thriving international trade network. Around 2350 BCE, the Indian bison began to appear on round seals across Mesopotamia and Central Asia, which seem to have been manufactured solely for international trade.
Renowned archaeologists are of the view that these seals were a deliberate effort by the Indus trade representatives for “a coordinated market strategy with a global vision”.
Organised sea ports
As far back as the 1950s, archaeologists had uncovered ancient ports dotting the west coast of India. Of these, one of the most fascinating discoveries is Lothal, about 80 km from the modern city of Ahmedabad in India. The town is ~10 hectares. It includes a large warehouse, industrial districts, residences and potentially an ancient dockyard. At Lothal, 93 sealings were found, more than at any other Indus site to date. These point to a highly controlled, tightly administered and contract-based transport of goods and commodities at strategic locations. Although no Indus material has been found in Egypt, a small figurine of a terracotta mummy discovered at Lothal shows some form of exchange between ancient Egyptians and the Indus people.
What can we learn?
Today, as the world races towards a low carbon economy, freight and e-commerce giants are working hard to optimise their supply chains and last mile delivery. Our modern lifestyles do not allow us to go back to animal-driven carts and non-motorised sea vessels. However, it is worth applauding the incredibly efficient trade networks that emerged in ancient cities.
A mix of domestic and international consumption served by exemplary infrastructure became the backbone of a whole civilization. The egalitarian Indus society was both local and global, but most of all it was resilient in the face of capricious rivers, droughts and rainfall patterns. The maritime links and trade routes they left behind are a legacy that survives to this day.
References
The post above has been shaped by findings, interpretations and published research from leading Indian and international archaeologists. Any errors, deficiencies, omissions are my own. I would like to acknowledge the resource library of www.harappa.com which has been an invaluable source of information.
Subject matter experts referenced in the post include SR Rao, Shereen Ratnagar, Mark Kenoyer, Dinesh Shukla, Dennys Frenez, RS Bisht, Rear Admiral Retd. S.C. Bindra and Gregory Possehl.
Additional research can be found on Nature.com (Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus Civilisation).
For further information on this subject, please contact the author on ira.ixom@outlook.com
This blog is part of the Leeds Alumni Voices series. The opinions expressed in these publication are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the University of Leeds or its members. The designations employed in this publication and the presentation of material therein do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the University of Leeds.
