EXISTENCE OF DOCKYARD AT LOTHAL

Source: IndianExpress

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Context

A study by the Indian Institute of Technology-Gandhinagar has provided fresh evidence to prove that a dockyard existed at Lothal.

Details

• The study suggests that the Sabarmati River, which at present flows 20 km away, actually flowed alongside Lothal during the time of the Harappans.
• The investigation further reveals that Lothal was a nodal point in one such trade route that connected Ahmedabad through Lothal, the wetland of Nal Sarovar, and the Little Rann of Kachchh, further extended to Dholavira.
• This investigation refutes an earlier skepticism about the dockyard theory on the basis of finding a big basin at Lothal, which was earlier argued by some to be an "irrigation tank."
• The new evidence thus coincides with the idea that Lothal played a crucial role in Harappan trade through both river and sea routes.

About Lothal.

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• Lothal is an ancient mound that is related to Indus Valley Civilization and is located in Saragwala Village of the Ahmedabad District, Gujarat.
• The name 'Lothal' comes from the Gujarati word, wherein Loth means the place of the dead and thal is short for sthal.
• Due to its proximity to the Gulf of Khambhat, Lothal had direct access to the Arabian Sea.

Site and Discovery

• Lothal was found by Archeologist S.R. Rao in 1952.
• Although much smaller than other major Indus sites, including Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, Lothal is highly significant because it is India's first Harappan site.
• Before the founding of the Harappan Civilization, circa 2400 BCE, Lothal was a small village, and its location was advantageously located on the eastern side of a river, with access via the Gulf of Cambay.
• Lothal is said to have one of the oldest known docks in the world.

Urban Planning and Infrastructure

• Lothal was well-planned, and its design guarded the city from floods.
• Houses were built on terraced platforms and walled on three sides by a peripheral wall.
• Houses were arranged in blocks.
• The Harappan custom of dividing the city into acropolis or citadel and lower town was followed.
• It included the residence of the ruler and provided civic amenities such as metalled roads, underground drains, and wells.
• The lower town was equally well-planned with commercial centers, residential areas, and a dock for berthing ships, so essential to trade.
• An unclogging stormwater/waste disposal system ensured that the town had advanced drainage.

Economic and Industrial Activities

• Lothal was an industrial centre.
• Bronze tools, beads, and ornaments were manufactured in this city.
• It imported copper and semi-precious stones from far-away places.
• The bead industry had developed as a distinct enterprise.
• Artisans of Lothal produced some beautiful jewellery.
• There was also a well-developed trade network which exported goods to various parts of the Harappan civilization.

Religion and Burial Practices

• Lothal, just like Kalibangan, shows evidence of fire worship through their existence of fire altars in open public places as well as private ones.
• The people followed a religion that incorporated the worship of various animals, evident on the seals.
• Lothal demonstrates a peculiar way of burial called a joint burial in which a couple are buried together; this could be because of some family tragedies or couple accidents.

Art and Metallurgy

• Among the other great things about Lothal, it also contained seals of steatite with calligraphy and motifs of animals, which reflected the artistic and cultural sophistication of the Harappans.
• On this site also lies much importance in the section of metallurgy as a high-purity copper was imported here to create various types of tools and ornaments.

Decline

Like the Indus Valley Civilization, Lothal declined due to natural calamities, mainly floods, that swept the town. The economy of the town ground to a halt by 1900 BCE and was consequently abandoned.

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Sources:

IndianExpress

PRACTICE QUESTION Q: Consider the following statements regarding Harappan sites: Surkotada is located in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, India, along the banks of the River Ghaggar. Traces of cotton cloth were found in Rakhigiri. Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) both 1 and 2 d) neither 1 nor 2   Answer: b)  Explanation: 1st statement is incorrect: Surkotada: Discovery: Excavated in 1964 by J.P. Joshi. Location: Kutch district of Gujarat, India, along the Shadi Kaur river. Key Findings: Actual remains of horse bones, stone fortifications, and residential complexes. Fortified Harappan site with horse, elephant, and wolf bones. 2nd statement is correct: Rakhigarhi: Discovery: Excavation began in 1963. Location: Hisar district of Haryana, India. Key Findings: Bronze toys, terracotta statues, granary with rectangular chambers. Traces of cotton cloth, indicating urbanized sewage systems.