History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c24.s1.7

v1.c24.s1.7

The agricultural surplus of the Harappans presumes the use of ploughing device. But, in the absence of undoubted specimens² scholars have attempted speculations (Vishnu-Mittre and Savithri). S. Longdon (Marshall, Vol.II, p.437, Sing. p.68) hazarded the use of plough as the Sumerian sign for plough appears in the Harappan script. Kosambi (p.71) detects the sign of a harrow or rake on an Indus valley seal. The furrow marks in a pre-Harappan field from Kalibangan (Rajasthan) (c.2900-2700 B.C.) make a case for the Harappans using plough (Lal, p.1; Frankfort, p.303). Sankalia (p.63) and Allchins (p.192) and Gordon (p.71) had suggested that the Harappans³ used wooden ploughs. All doubts have been set at rest by the clay models of plough recovered in the excavations at Banawali, Haryana (IAR. 1983-84, p.26, Pl.21) and Jawaiwala, Bahawalpur, Pakistan, (Weinner)⁴. The absence of actual plough is accounted for by their being made of decaying material and a village site being still unexcavated.