An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s14.t1.28

v1.c9.s14.t1.28

The authors of the Malwa culture were full-fledged farmers; they cultivated crops and also kept several domestic animals. The alluvial tracts as well as the fertile black soil of the Malwa plateau must have offered ample scope for the practice of agriculture. The evidence of charred grains from NAVDATOLI proves that wheat, barley and rice as well as legumes like black gram, green gram, lentil and grass pea were cultivated [2]. Mention also needs be made of the occurrence of charred remains of linseed and fruit like *ber* and *amla*. The occurrence of quantities of animal bones shows that animal husbandry was an equally important part of the food economy. The animals domesticated were the cattle, pig, sheep and goat [1]. The presence of bones of fish, tortoise and wild animals like the deer, black buck, gazelle and *nilgai* shows that hunting and fishing also played a part in the economy of the people.