Craft Production of Harappan Civilization| Class 12 History

Craft Production of the Harappan Civilization is a subpart of the Class 12 history. Craft Production of the Harappan Civilization falls under the chapter “Bricks, Beads, and Bones”. The subpart gives us an idea of the ancient Harappa Civilization with its Craft Production capabilities and related trade processes. Most of the Harappan artifacts were developed and made with the use of stones, different metals, and shells. Sometimes they used high-quality copper and bronze to make different types of weapons, daily using tools, beautiful ornaments, and vessels. The gold and silver metals were used to make different ornaments and high-quality stones for making seals.

In this article, we will discuss the Craft Production of Harappan Civilization in detail.

Craft Production of Harappan Civilization| Class 12 History

Finding Out About Craft Production

Chanhudaro, a small settlement, is significantly smaller than Mohenjodaro, with a primary focus on craft production. Various crafts, including bead-making, shell-cutting, metalworking, seal-making, and weight-making, were practiced there.

The beads produced at Chanhudaro were made from a diverse range of materials, including stones like carnelian, jasper, crystal, quartz, and steatite, as well as metals like copper, bronze, and gold, along with shell, faience, and terracotta. These beads displayed a wide variety of shapes, such as disc-shaped, cylindrical, spherical, barrel-shaped, and segmented, with some featuring decorative elements like incising, painting, or etched designs.

Different techniques were employed for making beads depending on the material used. Steatite, being a soft stone, was easily worked, allowing for the creation of various shapes through moulding with a paste made from steatite powder. However, the process of creating micro beads from steatite remains a puzzle for archaeologists.

The distinctive red color of carnelian beads was achieved through firing the yellowish raw material at various stages of production. Nodules of carnelian were chipped into rough shapes and then finely flaked to their final form, followed by grinding, polishing, and drilling. Specialized drills discovered at Chanhudaro, Lothal, and Dholavira indicate the advanced technological skills of ancient craftsmen.

Additionally, coastal settlements like Nageshwar and Balakot specialized in shell crafts, including bangles, ladles, and inlays, which were likely traded with other settlements. Similarly, finished products like beads from Chanhudaro and Lothal were probably traded to larger urban centers such as Mohenjodaro and Harappa.

Identifying Centres of Production

Archaeologists typically employ several indicators to identify centers of craft production. These include the presence of raw materials like stone nodules, whole shells, and copper ore, as well as tools, unfinished objects, and waste material. Waste material, in particular, serves as a valuable indicator of craft activity. For example, discarded pieces of shell or stone resulting from the manufacturing process are often found at the production site.

In some cases, larger waste pieces may have been utilized to create smaller objects, but tiny fragments are typically left behind in the work area. These remnants suggest that craft production occurred not only in small, specialized centers but also in larger urban centers like Mohenjodaro and Harappa.

Significance Of The Craft Production of Harappan Civilization

There are so many significance of the Craft Production of Harappan Civilization as mentioned below.

• Craft Production of the Harappan Civilization tells us how the stone is a perfect construction material.
• The artists and craftsmen of this civilization were skilled in metal casting, Strone engraving, different types of paintings, and terracotta crafts.
• They started the era of civic planning.
• Through this imagination and capabilities, they were able to create a well-planned civilization.

Craft Production of Harappan Civilization- FAQs

What was the craft production of the Harappan civilization Class 12?

They made bangles, ladles out of shells. Special tools were used for craft work. Specialized drills have been found at Chanhudaro, Lothal and more recently at Dholavira. Nageshwar and Balakot were specialized centres for making shell objects.

What was the craft and technology of Harappan civilization?

Harappans created sculpture, seals, pottery, and jewelry from materials, such as terracotta, metal, and stone. Evidence shows Harappans participated in a vast maritime trade network extending from Central Asia to modern-day Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, and Syria.

What are the three features of craft production in Chanhudaro?

Chanhudaro was a tiny settlement as compared to Mohenjodaro. This area was exclusively devoted to craft production. Its features are: 1. The main craft productions included bead-making, shell-cutting, metal-working, seal-making and weight-making.

What was the importance of crafts in a Harappan city?

Art and craft was an important industry in the Indus valley civilization because enough evidences are present which suggest the presence of specialised groups of artisans such as bronze smiths, gold-smiths, brick-makers , stone-cutters, weavers etc. Objects of gold are reasonably common.

What is the Great Bath of Harappan Civilization?

The Great Bath is part of a large citadel complex that was found in the 1920s during excavations of Mohenjo-daro, one of the main centres of the Indus civilization. The bath is built of fine brickwork and measures 897 square feet (83 square metres). It is 8 feet (2.5 metres) lower than the surrounding pavement.