A History of Agriculture in India v1.c15.7

v1.c15.7

One of the major events of the Bronze Age was the shifting of primitive wheat varieties from the mountains to the plains. Helbaek believes that one result of this forced movement of primitive cereals beyond their natural habitat by the human agency may have been the emergence of new plants. With the use of the bullock-drawn wooden plough, the rich alluvial soil started yielding bumper crops of wheat. The plot gave place to the field, and agriculture really began. In fact, the plough heralded an agricultural revolution, just as the tractor in the present century. Horticulture was concentrated around the urban centres. The priestly hierarchy, with the concentration of surpluses in their hands, started building monumental temples, which dominated the economic life. It was also the beginning of warfare with emphasis on fortification for the urban centres. There was expansion of handicraft production, which led to the development of trade.