Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c14.s7.4

v1.c14.s7.4

One of the most striking features of the Indus civilization is the adoption of an accurate and common standard of weights throughout the territory occupied by them. They preferred hexahedron weights of chert to any other shape and material, although their contemporaries used duck-shaped and barrel-shaped weights in the Nile and Euphratis-Tigris Valley. The Lothal folk also rigidly followed the standard prectised in the Indus Valley and actually imported well-polished weights of chert etc. from outside, as suitable material was not locally available. Besides chert, banded agate, jasper and schist were made use of. Two cubical weights of carnelian have also been found at Lothal. It is interesting to note that the truncated spheroid weights were more popular in Period B than in Period A. The occurrence of two barrel-shaped weights at Lothal and cubical ones at Ur, Kish, Brak Susa etc., suggest a vigorous trade between the Harappans and Sumerians. (Rao, 560)