Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c10.s4.9

v1.c10.s4.9

The discovery of about 70 lapis beads of three types — cylindrical, discoid and irregular hexagonal (made by joining two pieces) — and the find of unpolished, unpierced and roughly modelled specimens at Nal (Hargreaves, 1925) indicates that the beads were locally manufactured. It is quite plausible that the traditions of importing raw lapis from Afghanistan, making finished goods such as beads, and exporting them westward on sea-route was initiated at the south Baluchistan centres like Nal during the Pre- and Early-Harappan era. This tradition was continued at Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, Chanhu-Daro, Lothal etc. down to the historic eras and even the recent period by the Cambay workers in Gujarat. (Chakraborti, 1978)