History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c33.s7.t3: Post-Gupta

History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c33.s7.t3

Language: English

Post-Gupta

v1.c33.s7.t3.1

A host of traders and merchants carried the products of their various industries from one end of the country to the other by means of boats and bullock-carts.

v1.c33.s7.t3.2

Traders and merchants of various descriptions and their fabulous wealth are frequently referred to in books and inscriptions (R.C. Majumdar).

Trade and industry were well developed and organised. The institution called Śreṇī was a corporation of men following the same trade, occupation or craft and resembled the guides of medieval Europe. Almost every industry had its guild which laid down rules and regulations as a definite constitution. They maintained armies for the use of which wide roads were maintained.

v1.c33.s7.t3.4

Hieun Tsang gives information about the roads during the reign of Harsha Vardhana. He says that the roads were not safe. The Chinese traveller moved from one Buddhist place to another, visited even Kāñcipura and has left behind graphic details of the prevailing conditions.

v1.c33.s7.t3.5

Land pilots were supposed to have been the most important persons in a desert camp. The traders and their entourage travelled by nights, and rested by day. The route was chalked out by the land pilot by constantly watching the stars.

v1.c33.s7.t3.6

The paintings of Ajanta give ample proof of shipping activities. One of the paintings shows a vessel with high stern and three oblong sails attached to three upright masts. The vessel is of the agramandira type as defined in the Yuktikalpataru. This work can be dated to 11th century A.D. and gives graphic information on ship building in ancient India. The fact that the painting (dated earlier than the work) depicts a vessels that corresponds to a later description shows that the models did not undergo much change. Two types of ships are also mentioned, *Sāmānya* for inland traffic and *Viśeṣa* for sea traffic. Each is in turn divided into various categories.

v1.c33.s7.t3.7

Various classifications of colours, wood, and even decorations also seem to have dominated in the ancient days. Sometimes, hundreds of bullock-carts gathering together and forming a caravan traversed from one end of the country to the other and occasionally we hear of bands of volunteer police being hired to protect the merchandise on the way from thieves and robbers. By means of rivers, canals and highways, the commodities were despatched to the ports and harbours with a view to their export to foreign countries in sea-going vessels.

Linked texts (1)

玄奘 — Classical Chinese