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Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c13.s4: Seals and Weights

Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c13.s4

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English

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Seals and Weights

v1.c13.s4.1

That seal-amulets were manufactured as well as used at Chanhu-Daro is evident from the number of the unfinished specimens found at that site. Unfortunately, owing to the use of a substance that appears to have been powdered steatite compressed into block form, a few of the seals were in very bad condition; salt attacks this composition more readily than the natural stone.

v1.c13.s4.2

The unfinished specimens are of particular interest. Examination shows that the engraving of the animals and signs commenced before the backs were completed. This engraving of course was the most difficult part of making the amulet; its shaping and the perforation of the boss-like handle were comparatively easy. Yet, mishaps frequently occurred, particularly in the preliminary rough shaping of the handles. As a saw was invariably used for this purpose with teeth of a rudimentary type, it is not at all suprising that these accidents were frequent even in working a homogeneous stone like steatite. (MCK, 145)

v1.c13.s4.3

The faces of the unfinished seal amulets were thickly coated with dark red ochre, and as this colour appears on no other part of these two seals, its presence on the obverse pf each can hardly be accidental. (MCK, 146)

v1.c13.s4.4

With one exception, all the seal-amulets from Chanhu-Daro were cut from steatite or from the artificial substance made from it which has already been mentioned. Three seals which are black were once covered with a glossy-white coating like that often present on the seals from Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. The substance of eleven seals was dark or light grey, though these had been whitened outside by the same process as that used with the black seals. Of the two yellow seals, one had remains of this same white coating, whereas the other, being unfinished was in its natural state. Two out of three brown steatite seals also had a white slip, the third left untreated. One seal was made of dark grey stone with a gritty feel, a most unusual material. The white slip on similar seal amulets has been examined by Horace Beck, and is stated by him to be an alkali fused by heat. It gave a smooth glossy finish to the seals which greatly enhanced their appearance, and it has withstood the ravages of time excellently. Some of the steatite beads were treated in the same manner. (MCK, 148)

v1.c13.s4.5

Through the excavation at Chanhu-Daro it has also been proved that this industry of making seals was very much practised here. From the Mound-II these evidences have been revealed. Here in one of the trenches, eight unfinished seals of the Harappan period were found, which suggests that the northern quarter of the city was engaged in this craft; in a privy of the Mound II, three unfinished seals were found in a building which according to the excavator is a seal-maker's house. (MCK, 50, 52)

Weights

v1.c13.s4.t1.1

The very interesting series of weights unearthed at Chanhu-Daro leaves no doubt that these objects were actually manufactured on the site, or that weight-making was one of the crafts practised there in conjunction with bead-making. Many unfinished samples have been found in bead factories along with some exceptionally well-made specimens. (MCK, 226)

v1.c13.s4.t1.2

Some 132 stone objects have been found which are noted as probably weights. Many of the specimens are chipped or broken, others appear to be unfinished, some appear to have been damaged by fire. The weights have much the same characteristics as shown by those found at Mohenjo-Daro, the most probable or median standard weight being 13.625 gm. The majority are of chert and more or less cubical in shape. There seems to be a larger proportion of mis-shapen weights, a condition to be expected at the place of manufacture. (MCK, 236)

v1.c13.s4.t1.3

A group of ten weights have been identified by Harry Berman of the Department of Mineralogy at Harvard University as agate, chalcedony, jasper, and calcite. The majority are beautifully veined and banded stones, opaque or semi-transparent. All were carefully squared and polished and occasionally the edges were bevelled. The five spherical weights with flat base and top were made of limestone, granite, and agate. Most of the pebble weights are granite, others are of limestone. (MCK, 242)

v1.c13.s4.t1.4

The usual weights are much the same as those found at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. A.S. Hemmy showed that most of the weights from Chanhu-Daro fall in the series 1 (the smallest weight viz., 0.856 gram), 2, 4, 8, 16 (the standard weight viz., 13.625 gm), 32, 64, 160, 320, 640 and 1600. The ratio 16 (ṣoḍaśī) has been unique in the Harappan as well as the Vedic civilization (Praśna Upaniṣad, Jātaka, 414 etc.).

v1.c13.s4.t1.5

Most of the cube weights came from the Harappa II level of Mound II at Chanhu-Daro and 22 came from one house and its immediate neighbourhood. This house was the bead-makers' shop that had a room with flues running under the brick floor. It is already distinguished for the unusual feature described earlier, and also for the abundance of interesting objects found in its rooms and court. Besides bronze beads and stone beads of etched carnelian, lapis lazuli and steatite, there were quantities of unfinished beads of carnelian and steatite found there, as well as the raw materials for the stone cutter and also stone polisher and copper and bronze-maker's tools. This was the establishment of a maker of fine jewellery of stone and metal.

v1.c13.s4.t1.6

In the small outer room of this house, 14 weights and scale-pans of copper were discovered and additional weights were found in the furnace room. Across the street there was a room where few smaller weights were found. Ridgeway thinks that these smaller weights were used to weigh the precious metals and stones used in the jeweller's craft and trade. (MCK, 243)

Cites (2)