The Indus Civilization (Cambridge History of India, Supplementary Volume) c20.33

c20.33

already suggested by the evidence of the seals: always with the proviso that the lowest and earliest strata of Mohenjo-daro and Chanhu-daro are not yet known. And there is one further factor that may have some bearing upon the problem. Lapis lazuli is of rare occurrence on the Harappan sites as explored (p. 59). In Mesopotamia it is abundant in the Early Dynastic period, but declined noticeably in quantity and quality in the Akkadian period.¹ This in itself suggests, but no more than suggests, that the bulk of the known strata of the Harappan sites may equate rather with the Akkadian (Sargonid) and post-Akkadian periods than with any considerable portion of the Early Dynastic. There may, of course, have been differential causes at work whereof we have no knowledge; it is not to be assumed that, in spite of their closer proximity to the natural sources of lapis lazuli, the Indus rulers necessarily exercised as much control over the trade as did the more remote rulers of Sumer. A firm basis for comparison is therefore lacking. It can only be affirmed that the available evidence, such as it is, for the fluctuation of the lapis lazuli trade is in accord with the remainder of the evidence.