CHAPTER 2 WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS IN HARAPPAN PHASEshodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/117773/7/07_chapter 2.pdf · Harappan civilization is well known to us for its art, architecture,

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CHAPTER 2

WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS IN

HARAPPAN PHASE

Indus civilization flourished in the 3rd millennium BC along

the river Indus and its tributaries. It was the earliest civilization of

South-Asia and ranks amongst one of the greatest civilizations of

the world. The geographical extent of this civilization was from

Manda in the North to Diamabad in the south and from

Sutkangendor in the west to Alamgirpur in the east. It covered an

area of about 1.25 million square kilometers.1 It came to light in

1921 when Harappa was excavated by Dayaram Sahni. By now

above figteen hundered sites in India and five hundred sites in

Pakistan have been noticed.2 Indus civilization has been re-

designated by the archaeologist as Harappa civilization after the

site namely Harappa discovered in 1921. S.P. Gupta and some

other scholars renamed it as "Indus-Saraswati civilization" because

many sites have been discovered in India along the Saraswati

river.3

Harappan civilization is well known to us for its art,

architecture, science, technology and administration. Harappa and

Mohenjodaro used to be the capital city or administrative

headquarters. The main sites of Haryana and Punjab are Kunal,

Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Siswal, Balu, Farmana, Bhirrana, Ropar,

Sanghol, Kotla Nihang Khan, Bara, Dhalewan etc. Harappans were

lovers of art and architecture and they developed perfect town

planning system. The Harappan town planning matched with the

town planning of the modern cities in India. The Harappan people

knew about metals and minerals. They also developed the

technique of metal smelting. Some evidences of furnaces have been

reported at Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Harappa, Lothal, Balu

Rakhigarhi, Lohat, Banawali, Ropar etc. They imported ores from

18

different places in order to make weapons and implements. The

technique of manufacturing varies during the different phases of

Harappan civilization. The role of weapons and implements is very

important in the development of human civilization from stone age

to present context. Early man used stone weapon to kill or hunt

the animals and birds. During the Neolithic period, the copper

tools existed but in the age of Harappan civilization alloy metal

had been discovered. The weapons and implements of Harappan

people were made of copper, bronze, stone, bone, Horn, Ivory and

Terracotta.4

Pre/Early Harappan Phase (3250-2350 BC)

The pre/early Harappan phase existed between BC 4000 to

2500 in Indo-Pakistan subcontinent. Some sites are such as

Mehrgarh, Kotdiji, Amari, Chanhudaro, Harappa, Kalibangan,

Dolavira, Lothal, Banawali, Kunal, Bhirrana, Balu etc. belonged to

the early Harappan period. At Mehrgarh and Kunal Harappan lived

in pit during this period. They had started agricultural activities

for food production. They used copper to make weapons for the

hunting of animals and making implements for agriculture, craft

and domestic purpose. They used mould after smelting the metals

to give shape of weapons and implements; Hammer was also used

to give finishing touch for making weapons and implements. Some

important weapons and implements like arrowheads, spearheads,

axes, parasus, daggers, chisels, awls, adzes, saws and knives etc.

are found from early Harappan sites.5 Copper, stone and bone were

used to make the weapons and implements. Copper is the earliest

metal used by man to make weapons and implements and it is

found at different sites in Afghanistan. Allchin says that the region

between the Elburz mountain and the Caspian sea seems to be the

most probable location for the discovery of copper smelting. He

placed it Ca. 4300 BC.6 Tal-i-iblis in Mashiz Valley (Kirman Range,

Mesopotamia) has yielded crucibles used for smelting ores. Its date

goes to Ca. 4000 BC and it may be one of the earliest smelting

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centre. In Egypt the metallurgical technology had started around

4000 BC to 3700 BC.7 In Mesopotamia the earliest occurrence of

copper smelting was from times of Al-ubaid and during Uruk

period (4000 BC) copper had come in general use.

The earliest evidence of smelting in Indian sub-continent has

been found at Mehrgarh. During period-III they used crucibles for

smelting of copper.8 During Pre-Harappan period the people used

copper to make weapons and implements. The use of bronze tools

were rare during the Pre-Harappan phase but some bronze

evidence (shaft-holes axes and adzes) were found at Mundigak

during the Pre-Harappan period.9

Pre-Harappan farming communities used the weapons and

Implements made of metal, stone, bone, ivory terracotta etc.

Arrowheads, spearheads, dagger/knife, parasu, mace head, sling

ball etc.,10 were used in war, hunting and self defence. A great deal

of Pre-Harappan sites have been excavated but the reports of many

sites are not available.

27

28

1.1 Map Showing Early Harappan Sites

BAY

OF

BENGAL

MYANMAR

SRI LANKA

19 Bhirrana

20 Kunal

21 Siswal

22 Rakhigarhi

23 Samlo Kalan

24 Girawar

25 Ropar

26 Dhalewan

27 Lothal

28 Dholavira

1 Amari

2 Nal

3 Nausharo

4 Dambsadat

5 Mehrgarh

6 Kile GulMohammad

7 Gumla

8 Kotdiji

9 Cholistan

10 Rana Gundai

11 Sarai Khola

12 Rahmandheri

13 Mundigak

14 Manda

15 Kalibangan

16 Ganeshwar

17 Bagor

18 Banawali

20

PRE/EARLY-HARAPPAN SITES:

Some sites such as Kotdiji, Mehrgarh,11 Chanhudaro, Kile

Gul Mohammad, Damb-Sadat, Amari, Gazi Shah, Nal, Balakot,

Nausharo (Pakistan), Mundigak (Afghanistan); in India Manda

(J&K) Kalibangan, Ganeshwar, Baror, (Rajasthan), Ropar, Rohira,

Mohrana, Dhalewan (Punjab), Banawali, Kunal, Rakhigarhi, Balu,

Bhirrana12, Burj, Samlo-Kalan, Siswal, Baliali-2, Kasur-2, Talwara,

Buddha Khera lather (Haryana) have been mostly excavated and

some exploreded in India and Pakistan after 1921-22 to now-a-

days. A numerous of weapons and implements have been found

there. The details of some weapons and implements found at

certain selected pre-Early Harappan sites are as follows.

A. WEAPONS OF WAR AND HUNT

1. (A) Copper Arrow head: - The bow and arrow are simple

weapons having a continuity right from the stone age. They were

the cheapest and easily available in pre-Harappan region. They

were favourite weapons during the pre-Harappan phase. They used

arrows to hunt the animals with the help of bow. These

arrowheads were made up of copper. These were made of the flat

pieces of copper with long narrow barbs and no tang. The details of

these arrowheads is given below:-

Sr. No.

Weapon Site Metal Measurement Length x Breadth

x Thickness (in cms. & mm)

Cross Section

Nature of Edge/ Point

Reference

1 Arrowhead Kunal Copper 5cm.x1.5cm.x 1mm

Leaf Shaped (Pl.2.1.1)

one barb is cut, Sharp and long blade

2 Arrowhead Kunal Copper 3.5cm.x0.5cm.x 1mm

Parallel shaped (Pl.2.1.2)

Long blade point broken

3 Arrowhead Kunal Copper 4cm.x1.5cm.x 1mm

Triangular (Pl.2.1.3)

Long blade pointed

(Courtesy) Haryana Archaeologic-al Museum, Panchkula (Haryana)

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Sharp point & two barbed



Pointed tip and barbed, mid of blade, a shaft mark.

6 Arrowhead Kunal Copper 2.4cm.x1cm.x 1mm


Pointed tip and one barbed long.

7 Arrowhead Kunal Copper 4.5cm.x7mm x 1mm

Parallel shaped blade (Pl.2.2.3)

Long blade

8 Arrowhead Kunal Copper 5cm.x1.9cm.x 1.5mm


Long and Very sharp blade with barb.


Leaf Shaped (Pl.2.3)

Short blade with barbs.

10 Arrowhead Baliali-2 Copper 1.94cm.x1.18cm.x 0.06cm


short blade with barbs.

11 Arrowhead Shamlo Kalan-2

Copper 2.80cm.x2.50cm.x 0.07cm


Short tip and wide blade

Dangi, Vivek (2010) p. 357.

12 Arrowhead Rakhigarhi Copper 5.71cm.x2.32cm. Leaf Shaped

Long blade with barbs

Puratattva, No. 29, p. 48, pl.1.

13 Arrowhead Bhirrana Copper 3.27cm.x1.68cm. Leaf Shaped

Sharp Blade with barbs

14 Arrowhead Bhirrana Copper 2.54cm.x1.45cm. Leaf Shaped

Short blade and blunt barbs

15 Arrowhead Bhirrana Copper 2.27cm.x1.18cm. Leaf Shaped Short blade and blunt barbs

16 Arrowhead Bhirrana Copper 2.72cm.x1.18cm. Triangular Sharp blade with long barbs

17 Arrowhead Kalibangan Copper 2.50cm.x1.50cm. Triangular

Puratattva, No. 35, p. 63, pl.14.

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Plate 2.1. Copper Arrowheads (Kunal) Plate 2.2. Copper Arrowheads (Kunal)

Plate. 2.3. Copper Arrowhead (Kunal) Plate 2.4. 1. Arrow Head (Baliali) 2. (Samlo-Kalan)

The copper arrowheads are found at Mehargarh, Kotdiji,

Balakot, Kile Gul Mohammad, Amri, Nal, Nausharo (Pakistan),

Mundigak (Afghanistan), Manda (J&K), Kalibangan13 (P2.5),

Ganeshwar (Rajasthan), Banawali,14 Bhirrana, Rakhigarhi,15 Kunal

(P2.6), Girawar, Baliali-2, Samalo-kalan (Haryana)

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Plate 2.5. Copper Arrowhead Plate 2.6. Copper Arrowheads (Kunal)

(Kalibangan)

The leaf shaped arrowheads are found at Ghazi-shah but its

details are not available. Copper Arrowheads found from Bhirrana

are leafshaped and barbed at the lower point. Some inverted V-

shaped arrowheads were recovered at Kunal.16 These were inserted

into a split bamboo or wooden shaft. It was impossible to set these

heads in the shaft without enclosing a part of the arrowheads into

the wood. Some triangular shaped copper arrowheads were found

at Rakhigarhi. These are thin, flat with tang, narrow barbs and

without tang.17 At Ganeshwar about 400 copper arrowheads were

found. These were cut out of thin copper sheets and have 5-6.5 cm

average length. They were of barbed variety and used for war and

hunting. These were mounted on wooden sticks and fastened with

a white glue18 and tied with thin wire.

Arrowheads found at Kunal are basically of two types. In the

first, two sides show marked curvature at the base and other type

is the usual inverted 'V' shaped with side absolutely straight. The

culture phase is altogether new in the part of India as those were

not found at any of the sites like Kalibangan, Banawali, Mitathal

and several other cognate ones.19 A unique and longest arrowhead

found at Rakhigarhi perhaps. It was used for war purpose.20

(B) Stone Arrowhead :- Stone was also used to make arrowhead

during pre-Harappan phase. Some types of stones such as

24

chert, flint were used to make arrowheads, but these were

reported at a few sites. Some leaf shaped chert arrowheads

used by Kotdijian and the same specimen of chert

arrowheads were also found at periano-Gundai.21 A leaf

shaped flint arrowhead was found at Mehrgarh. A microlithic

leaf shaped arrowhead was found at Cholistan and

Mundigak. The above mentioned arrowheads were used for

hunting.

(C) Bone Arrow head:- Bone was also used to make arrowhead

at Manda, its a unique example of bone arrowhead.22

2. Bow: - Wooden bow was used by pre-Harappans but no

evidence of bow was found at any pre-Harappan sites. It was the

favourite equipment in curved or an arch shape for projectile

arrows. The bamboo or other flexible wood was used to make the

bow. Animal skin or intestine was used to make its string. An

octangonal seal was found at Rohira in Punjab. It has an

impression of a standing human figure with a bow and arrow in

hand.23

3. Dagger/Knife: - Dagger was a prominent weapon but not

used commonly by the people during pre-Harappan period. It is

difficult to discriminate it with knife because both dagger and knife

had some common purpose. The dagger was used to thrust the

animal for killing or to get protection from enemies. Dagger was a

long, narrow, tanged, shouldered and pointed weapon. Mackey

said, “Dagger has a longer and thicker tang”. The daggers were

fitted in wooden handle. Sometime, these were used without

handle and it had to have a longer and thicker tang for a proper

grip. The daggers were rarely found at pre-Harappan site.

The daggers were found at some pre-Harappan sites. A

dagger mid-rib and with tanged was found at mundigak. A

fragment of copper dagger was found at Damb-Sadat.24 One

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fragment of copper dagger/spearhead (112.6 mm length) with tang

was found at Nal.25

4. Mace Head: - Pre-Harappans were also known to mace-head.

It was used as war weapon and for hitting. These were made of

stone. Some specimen of mace-head was found at Kalibangan and

Cholistan. Two mace-head or weight for digging sticks have been

found at Kalibangan.26 One fragment of mace head is circular,

concavo-convex in section. With a circular hole, having hour glass

perforation. The wooden shaft was fitted in the hole of mace head.

5. Parasu: - It was a unique weapon but rarely found at pre-

Harappan site. It was used for killing the animals and for self-

protection. Sometimes it was used as agricultural tool. It is

interesting to note that even today the parasu hafted on to a

wooden handle is used in parts of Rajasthan for cutting scrubby

brushes to obtain firewood.

A parasu of copper was found at Kalibangan, during pre-

Harappan phase. It has concave edge seems sharp along the length

and back is straight blunt. It is 10.6cm. long, 2.54cm. broad and

1.69cm. thick.27

6. Spearhead: - Some specimens of spearheads have been

found at Ganeshwar, Nausharo, Sarai Khola, Nal, Balakot. These

were used to hunt the animal and for warfare. All the specimens

are made of copper but a few are made of bronze. Their shapes and

sizes varied at different sites. A triangular shaped bronze

spearhead, 21cm. found at Nausharo.28 One copper/bronze

spearhead was found at Sarai-Khola. Among the pre-Harappan site

only one specimen of copper spearhead was found at Kunal.29 The

spearhead was leaf shaped, measuring 10cm. length, 2cm. broad

and 0.5 cm. in thickness (Pl.2.7). Perhaps the spearhead was used

only for hunting/killing birds and small animals.30

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Plate 2.7. Copper Spearhead from Kunal

7. Missiles: - The clay missiles were also used during this

phase. These were made up of clay and stone and these were of

either round or ovoid in shape. The missiles were thrown by hand

or projected from a sling. The sling was made with 'Y' or 'V' shaped

wood and some flexible string was also used for projection.

Missiles or sling balls were reported at Amari, Kalibangan

Dhalewan, Banawali, Siswal, Kunal, Girawar, Tilwara, Bhirrana,

Budha-Lather, etc. The small sling-balls were used to hunting the

birds.

At Kalibangan five specimens of terracotta and stone sling

ball were found which were round in shape. Some round shaped

sand stone sling balls were found at Banawali, Tilwara, Budha

Khera Lather31 and Bhirrana. It is considered that the raw

materials for these sling balls were imported from Rohiri Hill.

These sling balls also have similarities in size. The sling ball found

at Tilwara and Budhakhera Lather are made of reddish sandstone

and sheroid. These are 2.61 cm to 3.46 cm in diameter having

rough surface. A unique sling ball found at Siswal is made up of

terracotta and is oblong in shape.32 Three stone balls found in

excavation from Kunal were used like sling balls (Pl.2.8). Their

measurement are 2.2 cm to 2.8 cm diameter. Two stone balls were

white in colour and one was reddish.

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Plate 2.8. Stone Sling Balls from Kunal

List of Weapons from Pre-Early Harappan Sites

Sr. No.

Weapons Material Sites

Arrowhead Copper Mehrgarh, KotdiJi, Balakot, Kile Gul Mohammad, Ghazi-Shah, Amri, Nal (Pakistan), Mundigak (Afghanistan), Manda (J&K), Kalibangan, Ganeshwar (Rajasthan), Kunal, Baliali-2, Samlokalan-2, Rakhigarhi, Banawali, Bhirrana, Girawar (Haryana)

Arrowhead Stone Mundigak, Kotdiji, Periano-Gundai, Mehrgarh, Cholistan,

1.

Tanged Arrowhead

Bone Manda

2. Dagger Copper Mundigak, Damb-Sadat, Nal

3. Mace Head Stone Cholistan, Kalibangan

4. Parasu Copper Kalibangan

5. Spearhead Copper or Bronze

Nausharo, Sarai Khola, Nal, Balakot, Ganeshwar, Kunal

6. Missile TC or Stone

Amari, Kalibangan, Dhalewan, Banawali, Siswal, Kunal, Girawar, Tilwara, Bhirrana, Budha Lather.

Afghanistan Mundigak Arrowheads (Copper and Stone) Dagger (Copper)

Mehrgarh Arrowheads (Copper and Stone)

KotdiJi Arrowheads (Copper and Stone)

Balakot Arrowheads (Copper) spearhead of copper or bronze

Kile Gul Mohammad

Arrowhead (Copper)

Amari Arrowhead (Copper) Sling Ball (Stone and Terracotta)

Nal Arrowhead (Copper) Spearhead (Copper or Bronze) copper dagger.

Pariano-Gundai Stone Arrowhead

Cholistan Stone Arrowhead, stone Mace-head

Damb-Sadat Copper Dagger

Pakistan

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Nausaro Copper or Bronze Spearhead

Sarai Khola Copper or Bronze Spearhead

J&K Manda Bone and copper arrowhead

Kalibangan Copper Arrowhead, Stone Mace-Head, Copper Parasu, Stone and TC Missile

Rajasthan

Ganeshwar Copper Arrowhead, Copper or Bronze Spearhead

Punjab Dhalewan Stone and Terracotta Missile

Kunal Copper Arrowheads and Spearhead, Missile(TC)

Baliali-2 Copper Arrowhead

Samlo Kalan-2 Copper Arrowhead

Rakhigarhi Copper Arrowheads

Banawali Copper Arrowheads, TC Missile

Bhirrana Copper Arrowheads and TC or Stone Missile

Girawar Copper Arrowhead, Stone and Terracotta Missile

Siswal Stone and TC Missile

Tilwara Stone and TC Missile

Haryana

Budha Lather Stone and TC Missile

IMPLEMENTS OF EARLY HARAPPAN PHASE

People during Early-Harappan phase used different kind of

implements which were made of metal, stone and bones. These

implements were very helpful in the evolution of early harappan

period. The implements were divided into different categories on

the basis of their use. The numerous Early-Harappan sites like

Chanhudaro, Mehrgarh33, Kile Gul Mohammad, Amari, Nal

(Pakistan), Manda (J&K), Ropar, Dhalewan, Moharana, Kotala

Nihang Khan (Punjab), Banawali, Kunal34 Bhirrana, Rakhigarhi,

Girawar, Siswal (Haryana), Kalibangan, Ganeshwar (Rajasthan).

provide several specimens of implements. Implements were divided

into some categories on the basis of their use like - I. Agricultural

Implements, II. Implements of various crafts, III. Household

Implements.

B. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS

The agricultural activities had started during Neolithic phase

but during this time the stone tools/implements like Celt Adge,

29

axe, pick and other tools were used. Some copper implements like

axe, Celt were also used. During Early-Harappan phase the copper

and bronze agriculture implements like – axe, adze, celt, sickle etc.

were used. With the help of these implements, people started

producing surplus food grains. These type of implements which

were used presumably for an agricultural purpose, like clearing

the forest, Harvesting, tilling the land etc. However, Pre-Harappan

people had not many types of agricultural tools, the important

ones are axe, sickel, celt, adze, saw, shaft-hole-axe etc.

1. Axe or Celt

Mostly copper axe appears to be one of the most common

implements used by the Pre-Harappans. It differs slightly in size

and shape at different sites. Axes celts have been reported from

some early-harappan sites like Kalibangan, Ganeshwar, Sarai

Khola, Mehrgarh, Nal, Mundigak, Rahman Dheri, Kunal etc.

Copper socket-hole axe found at Mundigak is unique implement in

Pre-Harappan phase.35 The Pre-Harappan people at Kile Gul

Mohammad, Nal, Rahman Dheri and Sarai Khola used flat celt

made of stone.

The following table shows the record of various features of

the axe, recovered from different Pre-Harappan sites

Sr. Site Implements Metal Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Nature of Edge point

etc.

References

1. Kalibangan Axe Copper 7.63×3.81 × 2.69 Cutting edge straight and sharp, splayed out blade taper toward butt end

IAR 1963-64, p. 30, Agrawal D.P. & D.K. Chakrabarty (1979) Essay in Indian Protohistory p. 70.

2. Kunal Axe Copper 12.2 cm × 4.6 cm × 4 mm

Cutting edge curved and sharp, splayed out blade taper toward butt end.(Pl.2.9)

(Courtesy) Haryana Archaeological Museum Panchkula

30

Plate 2.9. Copper Axe From Kunal

Ganeshwar Copper axes are (some with symmetrical pattern

of dot near the butt) 20 to 25 cm long. Nal axes are long, narrow

and crescent edged.36 Kunal people used a unique axe for cutting

purpose in agriculture field. The axe is drived into wood to split it.

2. Sickle

Reaping Implement, with a short handle and semi-circular

blade, the earliest known stone sickles are found at Mehrgarh,

Mundigak and Kusur-2 (Haryana). Some wooden handles reported

from Mehrgarh related to Sickle37 perhaps the blade of sickle was

made up stone. An evidence from Mehrgarh shows that there was a

bitumen handle fitted into a stone blade sickle. A sickle blade

found at Mundigak, the detail is not found. A sickle gloss reported

from Kotdiji. A sickle blade made by Rohiri Chert found at Kasur-

2, light brown in colour, broken/distal, having parallel side

measuring 3.40 length × 1.14 breadth × 0.35 thickness cm.38 This

is a unique specimen found in Haryana.

3. Plough

The occupation of the Early-Harappan people was

agriculture. But the evidence of metal plough was not found from

31

anywhere. At Kalibangan, there was found agricultural innovation

of twin crop-system in well laid ploughed field. ‘L” shaped

terracotta model of plough has been found from jalilpur.39 It is

shows Early-Harappan farmer used the plough in agriculture.

Some of these implements reported from Nal look like hoes,

obviously it was used for agricultural purpose.40

List of Agricultural Implements in Early-Harappan Sites

Sr. No. Implements Materials Sites 1. Axe Copper Nal, Mundigak, (Shaft hole axe)

Mehrgarh, Kalibangan, Ganeshwar, Kunal,

Axe Stone Sarai Khola, Rahman Dheri 2. Celt Copper or Bronze Kalibangan, Ganeshwar Celt Stone Nal, Sarai Khola, Kile Gul

Mohammad 3. Sickle Stone Mehrgarh, Mundigak, Kasur-2 4. Plough Terracotta Jalilpur

Afghanistan:

Mundigak: Copper axe and shaft-hole axe, Copper or Bronze

Adze, Stone Sickle

Pakistan

Mehrgarh: - Copper axe, Stone Sickle

Nal: - Copper axe, Copper or Bronze Adze, Stone Celt

Sarai Khola: - Stone axe, Stone Celt

Jalilpur: - Terracotta plough

Rahman Daheri: - Stone axe

Kile Gul Mohammad: - Stone Celt

Rajasthan

Kalibangan: Copper axe, Copper or Bronze Celt

Ganeshwar: Copper axe, Copper or Bronze Celt.

Haryana

Kasur-2: Stone sickle.

C. IMPLEMENTS OF VARIOUS CRAFTS

Early-Harappan people were particularly known for

their rich material remains, many of which seem to be associated

32

with various crafts practised by farming communities. They used

various type of implements made up copper, stone, bone etc. In the

following details we propose to discuss the implements like Awl,

Drill, Chisel, Burin, Scrapper, Saw, Adze and Borer etc. Which are

likely to have been used by craftmen like coppersmith, carpenter,

house builder, cobbler etc.41

1 Awl:

During the Palaeolithic age to Early-Harappan phase, the awl

was used for making or enlarging the holes, and fastening etc., in

various materials like leather, wood, bone, ivory etc. The rods of

awls have been found in excavation in fairly good number from

Mehrgarh, Kile Gul Mohammad, Gaji Shah,42 Alimurad, Gumla,

Ganeshwar, Bagor and Banawali.43 Vats had identified it as

cobbler’s awl. There is a slight inward cut near the sharp point,

perhaps for holding the thread. Copper awl found at Gaji Shah,

stone awls were reported from Ganeshwar, Bagor, Gumla. Bone

awls were found at Banawali, Kile Gul Mohammad, Mundigak etc.

There is no clarity regarding its shape, section, measurement in

the details of excavation reports.

2. Adze :

The Adze is a carpenter’s tool – a short of an axe with the

blade set at right angles to the handles and curved towards. It was

used for cutting, slicing or planing the surface of wood. Copper

adzes were reported from Nal and Mundigak,44 the region in

northern-western India. A shaft-hole adze found at Mundigak is

unique evidence in Early-Harappan phase. Early-Harappan people

at Nal had six adzes, five are of average measurement of 11.8-21.0

cm length and the shape of sixth one is different.45

33

S. No.

Site Implements Metal Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Detail

1. Nal Adze Copper 13.1×(?)×1.10 Flat, and straight splayed edge, both faces ground.

2. Nal Adze Copper 21.0×(?)×0.30 Flat and curved splayed out cutting edge, ground on side.

3. Nal Adze Copper 16.3×(?)×0.9 Flat and curved and slightly splayed cutting edge ground on both side.

4. Nal Adze Copper 11.8×(?)×0.5 Slightly curved cutting edge, both side ground edges raised broken hole at the top.

5. Nal Adze Copper 12.2×(?)×0.3 Oblique cutting edge, one side ground.

3. Borer and Burin

These were appreciated tools used by Early-Harappan people

for carpentery. Lithic industry at Cholistan and Gumla made

numerous borer and burin for using in various crafts as making

hole.46 Both are similar tools sharp on top and had continuously

been used since the Stone Age.

4. Chisel

Artisans of Early-Harappan used Chisels made up of

copper/bronze. These were found from the sites such as Mehrgarh,

Kile Gul Mohammad47 Amri, Nal, Sarai-Khola, Nausharo, Gumla,

Kotdiji, Kalibangan, Girawar,48 Rakhigarhi, and Kasur-2. These are

made out of metal bar of which one end is bevelled to one or more

sharp edges and the other is left blunt for being struck with a

hammer. These have rectangular shape and flat section with

narrow blade. Many measurements reported in research as

follows–

Site Implements Metal Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Section Nature of Edge

Nal Chisel Copper 23.3×?×0.50 Flat Thin Slightly curved and splayed out cutting edge ground on one face only.49

Nal Chisel Copper 12.3×(?)×(?) Rectangular Straight cutting edge ground on both faces.50

Kasur-2 Chisel Copper 14.31×3.27×0.70 Rectangular (Pl.2.10)

Working edge sharp.51

34

Plate 2.10. Copper Chisel From Kasur-2

The section of four chisels recovered from Kalibangan is

rectangular, thin and of narrow blade. Chisels were used in

carpentry for cutting and shaping wood and stone.

5. Drill

A drill is a tool for making holes in bone and stone artefact.

Early-harappan people used drill made of stone found at

Mehrgarh, Amri, Chanhudaro and Banawali. B.B. Lal points out

that the presence of a large number of drill-bit of phtanite (a

greenish stone) in association with the beads clearly indicates the

existence of a lapidary’s workshop at Mehrgarh.52 It is interesting

to note that such drills have also been found at Amari. A bone

handle reported from Banawali was perhaps fitted in drill.53 It

shows craftsmenship works conducted by artisian.

6. Saw

Copper saw having a row of sharp teeth at the cutting edge

was among the cutting tools used by Early-Harappan people at

Nal. Two copper saws were found at Nal. The first saw

measurement is 37.0 cm Length × 0.90 cm thickness. Its blade has

12 teeth and three holes at the broader end. The second saw was

also made of copper and nature of edge was curved back with

straight cutting edge, 4 pieces rejointed, 2.00cm length contains

20 teeth. These were used for cutting wood process by pushing

backwards and forward by hand. Only Nal is one of the Early-

Harappan sites, where these types of tools were found.

35

7. Scraper

Some scraper made of stone has been reported in excavation

from Sarai-Khola, Cholistan, Kalibangan.54 These have sharp

round edges made of round strips. It was used by Early-Harappan

people for scraping a particular surface clean.

List of Various Craft-Implements from Pre/Early-Harappan Sites

Implements Material Sites

1. Adze Copper Mundigak, Nal

2. Awl Copper Ghaji Shah

Awl Stone Gumla, Ganeshwer, Bagor

Awl Bone Mundigak, Mehrgarh, Kile Gul Mohammad, Banawali

Awl ? Lohumjodaro, Alimurad

3. Borer Stone Cholistan

4. Burin Stone Gumla

5. Chisel Copper or

Bronze

Kile Gul Mohammad, Nal, Sarai Khola, Nausharo,

Gumla, Kotdiji, Kalibangan, Girawar, Kasur-2

6. Drill Bone Banawali

Drill Stone Mehrgarh, Gaji Shah

7. Saw Copper Nal

8. Scrapper Stone Sarai Khola, Cholistan, Kalibangan

Afghanistan

Mundigak : Copper-adze, awl

Pakistan

Nal : Copper Adze, Copper Chisel, Copper Saw

Ghaji Shah : copper awl, stone drill

Gumla : stone awl, stone burin, copper chisel

Kile Gul Mohammad : bone awl, copper chisel

Lohumjodaro : awl

Alimurad : awl

Cholistan : stone borer, stone scrapper

Sarai Khola : copper chisel, stone scrapper

Kotdiji : copper chisel

Mehrgarh : stone drill, bone awl

36

Rajasthan

Kalibangan : stone scrapper, copper chisel

Ganeshwar : stone awl

Bagor : stone awl

Haryana

Banawali : bone awl, bone drill

Girawar : copper chisel

Kasur-2 : copper chisel

D. HOUSEHOLD IMPLEMENTS

These type of implements were used by Early-Harappan

people in daily life for various purposes like cutting, sewing etc.

They were made up of copper, stone, bone and other materials.

These are include blades, fish hook, knife, needle, hook, razor and

points etc. There are many Early-Harappan sites, where these

types of implements are found.

1. Blade:

Blade is an implement with two ridges on their side and can

be used in a similar manner to make another blade. Rohiri-Sukkur

in Sindh provided the raw material for making blades the whole

Early-Harappan region. This incidentally indicates a developed

internal trade. Taking out long blades of stone is an old technique

which started in palaeolithic phase.55 It is the general implement

which is found from almost every Early-Harappan sites e.g.

Mehrgarh, Amari, Nausharo, Rana Gundai, Gumla, Cholistan,

Kotdiji, Damb-Sadat (Pakistan), Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Mohrana,

Dhalewan (Punjab), Banawali, Talwara, Kunal, Rakhigarhi,

Bhirrana etc. It is made of copper, stone, bone etc. A large number

of blades are made of stone e.g. chert, flint and chalcedony. These

are mainly of two types rectangular and triangular. Mehrgarh,

Amari, Nausharo, Gumla, Cholistan and Kotdiji people were used

the chert blades, almost in all of these, parallel shape. Flint blades

excavated from Rana-Gundai are of parallel side with a mid-rib,

37

almost all blades are made with mid-rib and double mid-rib. A

large number of blades found at Kalibangan are made up of agate,

chalcedony. These are triangular and rectangular section and

parallel side blades in reddish, wax and whitish colours.56

Dhalewan and Mohrana sites in Punjab had few chert blades of

stone, rectangular and triangular shaped with reddish colour.

S. No.

Site Material Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness (cm)

Colour Broken/having References

1. Talwara Chert 2.28 × 1.60 × 0.42 cm

Light Brown

Parallel sides

2. Ghaswa Agate 1.92 × 1.14 × 0.30 cm

Translucent Brown

Broken/ Having Parallel Side

3. Banawali Chert 1.49 × 0.89 × 0.21 cm

Dark red Broken/ having Parallel side

4. Bhirrana Chert 2.31 × 0.75 × 0.32 cm

Dark Brown

Broken/ having Parallel side

5. Kunal Chert 2.02 × 0.87 × 0.23

Dark Red Broken/ having Parallel side

Dangi Vivek (2010) A Study of protohistoric settlement in upper Ghaggar Basin (Unpublished Thesis), p. 362, 365, 366

6. Kunal Chert 3.20 cm × 1.10 cm × 3 mm

Light Red (Pl.2.11.1)

Broken / rectangular shaped with double mid-rib

7. Kunal Chert 2.30 × 1.0 × 4 mm


Broken/ Shape with double mid-rib

8. Kunal Chert 3.20 × 1.40 × 3.00 mm


Broken / rectangular shaped with double mid-rib

(Courtesy) Haryana museum Department, Panchkula

9. Kunal Chalcedony 2.80 cm × 5 mm × 1 mm

Creamish Pointed and Triangular

10. Kunal Chalcedony 1.90 cm × 0.8 cm × 2 mm

Creamish Rectangular Shape

11. Kunal Chalcedony 3.20 cm × 0.6 cm × 2 mm

Whiteness Dark Red

Rectangular

12 Kunal Chalcedony 3.50 cm × 0.7 cm × 3 mm

– Rectangular Shaped with single mid-rib

(Courtesy) Shree Krishana Musuem, Kurukshetra

13. Kunal Copper 4 cm × 1.5 cm × 5 mm

– (Pl.2.12.2)

Leaf shaped

14. Kunal Copper 3.20 cm × 1 cm × 2 mm

– (Pl.2.12.1)

Rectangular Shaped

(Courtesy) Haryana Archeological Museum, Panchkula

38

Plate 2.11. Chert Blades (Kunal) Plate 2.12. Copper Blades (Kunal)

Some blade industries have been reported from Damb-Sadat,

Amari, Kotdiji, Mehrgarh, Rahman dheri, Sarai Khola etc. Blades

were used for cutting in domestic use. Two unique copper blades

reported from Kunal used by Early-Harappan, are sharped,

rectangular and pointed. Four copper blades are also reported

from Kalibangan.

Fishhook

Fishhooks have been discovered from Rakhigarhi57,

Ganeshwar, Banawali58, Kunal59 and Girawar etc. These are made

of copper wire which is turned backwards to from an eye at the

top, and curved in a semi-circle at the lower end. Early-Harappan

people used it for fishing.

3. Copper Knife:

A knife is an implement, one edge of which is sharp and the

other blunt, with a pointed or rounded tip, and a tang on the

proximal end. Copper knives have been reported from Amari,

Damb-Sadat, Kile Gul Mohammad, Lohumjodaro, Nal, Kalibangan

etc. There is no detail available but only one knife excavated from

Nal is tapering blade with tang, 4 pieces rejoined, measuring 15.50

cm in length.60

Bone Knife – Four bone knives61 have been found at Kunal the

details of which are mentioned below –

1. It is pointed and broken piece, black colour with

39

measurement 6.80 cm × 1.20 cm × 2 mm (Pl.2.13.4).

2. A long and sharp blade, pointed tip, knife with mid-rib, black

colour, measurement 13 cm length × 2 cm breadth × 1 mm

thickness. It is very fine collection of Haryana Archaeological

Museum, Panchkula (Pl.2.13.1).

3. It is pointed and broken blade of knife with measurement 9.0

cm length × 1.50 cm breadth × 1 mm thickness (Pl.2.13.2).

4. There is a pointed and broken blade of knife without mid-rib

and tang, with measurement 7.40 cm length × 1.50 cm

breadth × 2 cm thickness. All bone knives are without tang.

These were used in kitchen for cutting purpose (Pl.2.13.3).

Plate 2.13. Bone Knife from Kunal (Early Harappan Phase)

4. Needle

Needles of copper are excavated from many Early-Harappan

sites, like Mundigak, Kile Gul Mohammad, Sarai-Khola,

Rakhigarhi62, Kalibangan and bone needles are reported from

Mehrgarh, Rana Gundai. Mostly needles are with eyes. It appears

that they were used as needle for sewing garments, leather and

matting.

5. Hook

Some cooper hooks, other than fish hook, are also reported

from Mehrgarh63, Allahadino, Kalibangan. From their type and

3

4

40

shape, it appears that they were used not for fishing but for

hanging things, especially in kitchen, as suggested by mackay.

Two hooks have been found from Kalibangan, which are made up

of copper wire.

6. Razor

Copper razors have been found at Kalibangan, Mohrana (?)

and Kunal64 etc. These are usually thin and light and seem to have

two basic shapes viz. Dumb-bell and horse shoe. Early-Harappan

people used them for shaving the hairs. The details of these razors

are not available.

7. Points

Bone points were unearthed from Sarai Khola65, Rana

Gundai, Amari (Pakistan), Mohrana66, Dhalewan (Punjab),

Kalibangan (Rajasthan), Kunal, Bhirrana, Banawali, Rawalawas

Kalan, Lakhan Majara, Talwara, Samlo Kalan (Haryana) etc. These

are rounded and some have flattered butts. It seems possible that

pre-harappan people used them for making objects for sewing or

other delicate work and for hunting also. Hunters used it like

arrow for killing the birds and other small, thin species. Leaf

shaped and triangular bone points have been discovered

abundantly.

Some Points discovered at Kunal are displayed at Haryana

Archaeological Museum, Panchkula .Their details are given below.

S.No. Site Metal Implements Measurement Length × Daimeter

(cm)

Detail

1. Kunal Bone Point (Pl.2.14.1)

8.0 × 0.50 cm Diameter

Black Colour, Pointed round shape and sharp tip.


4.20 × 0.60 cm Black Colour, Blade like long leaf and sharp tip as like long Arrow head


5.50 cm length × 0.50 Diameter

Black colour pointed and round shape.

4. Talwara Bone Point 2.47 × 0.77 cm Diameter

Light black colour, circular in section, sharp point, polished.

5. Samlo Kalan

Bone Point 6.40 × 0.69 cm Diameter

Black colour with sharp edge, round section.

41

Plate 2.14. Bone Points, From Kunal

8. Antler

A Number Antelers have been reported from Kunal. These

have tringular shaped and sharply. A antler has measures 14 cm

length, 3.5 cm breadth and 1.7 cm thickness. (Pl.2.15). These were

used by Early-Harappan for multipurpose work.

Plate 2.15. Bone Antler From Kunal

List of Household Implement from Pre-Early Harappan Sites

Implements Material Sites 1. Blade Copper Kunal Blade Stone Damb-Sadat, Kotdiji, Mehrgarh, Amari, Nausharo,

Rana Gundai, Cholistan, Kunal, Bhirrana, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Mohrana, Dhalewan, Kalibangan

2. Fishhook Copper Ganeshwar, Banawali, Kunal, Girawar, Rakhigarhi, 3. Hook Copper or Bronze Mehrgarh, Allahadino, Kalibangan 4. Knife Copper Amari, Damb-Sadat, Nal, Lohumjodaro, Kunal Knife Bone Kunal 5. Needle Copper Mundigak, Mehrgarh, Kile Gul Mohammad,

Kalibangan Needle Bone Rana Gundai, Rakhigarhi 6. Point Bone Sarai Khola, Rana Gundai, Kunal, Bhirrana,

Banawali, Talwara, Rawalwas, Kalan, Samlo-Kalan, Dhalewan, Mohrana

7. Razor Copper or Bronze Kalibangan, Kunal, Mohrana

42

Afghanistan

Mundigak : copper needles

Pakistan

Mehrgarh : stone blade, copper hook, copper needle

Amari : stone blade, copper knife

Nausharo : Stone Blade

Rana Gundai : Stone Blade, Bone Needle, Bone Points

Cholistan : stone blade

Damb Sadat : stone blade, copper knife

Allahadino : copper hook

Nal : copper knife

Lohumjodaro : copper knife

Sarai Khola : bone needle, bone points

Kile Gul Mohammad : copper needle

Rajasthan

Kalibangan : stone blade, copper hook, copper needle, copper

razor

Ganeshwar : copper fish hook

Punjab

Mohrana : stone blade, bone point, copper or bronze razor

Dhalewan : stone blade

Haryana

Kunal : copper and stone blade, copper fish hook, copper

knife, bone points, copper razor.

Banawali : stone blade, copper fish hook, bone points

Bhirrana : stone blade, bone points

Rakhigarhi : stone blade, bone needle, copper fish hook.

MATURE HARAPPAN PHASE (2350-1700 BC)

Pre-Harappan people were related to rural or village culture.

They had not so advanced technology till about 2200 B.C. But

mature harappan people were developed in various areas like

making of city, town planning, well formed underground drain,

43

script, cross road, fortification wall, surpluse production, trade

and various crafts as characteristics features Numerous Harappan

site excavations reveal that the Indus civilization occupied an area

greater than of the contemporary civilization of Mesopotamia and

Egypt put together. As compared to their Early-Harappan

predecessors, the Harappan people made more extensive use of

copper and bronze67. Some important Harappan sites excavated so

far are Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Amari, Chanhudaro, Kotdiji

(Punjab) Banawali, Kunal, Rakhigarhi, Bhirrana, Farmana, Lohat,

Balu, Mitathal (Haryana), Kalibangan (Rajasthan) Lothal,

Surkotada, Dholavira (Gujarat).

18 Banawali

19 Bhirrana

20 Kunal

21 Balu

22 Rakhigarhi

23 Mitathal

24 Farmana

25 Girawar

26 Sanauli

27 Alamgirpur

28 Manda

1 Mundigak

2 Sutkagendor

3 Balakot

4 Chanhudaro

5 Kotdiji

6 Mohenjodaro

7 Nausharo

8 Harappa

9 Mehrgarh

10 Kalibangan

11 Baror

12 Tarkhanewala Dera

13 Ropar

14 Kotla NihangKhan

15 Rohira

16 Dhalewan

17 Dher Majra

29 Lothal

30 Rangpur

31 Rojdi

32 Padri

33 Bagasra

34 Desalpur

35 Dholavira

36 Surkotada

37 Daimabad

The metals used by the Harappan for weapons and tools

manufacturing were copper and bronze. A large number of

weapons and Implements made of metal, stone, bone,terracotta

and ivory are reported by the excavators from different Harappan

sites. Most of the excavators and scholars have tried to identify

and classify the metal objects found from various sites. However,

Map 2.2 Showing Mature Harappan Sites

44

these classifications cannot be justified in all cases, as they are

not based upon any fixed and reliable parameters. We have

attempted to reclassify different tools, taking into account their

different parameters like length, breadth, thickness and their ratio,

edge form, edge profile, etc. for convenience. Materials and tools

are repertoired under the following divisions68

A. Weapons for war and Hunt

B. Agricultural Implements

C. Implements of Various Crafts

D. Household Implements

A. WEAPONS FOR WAR AND HUNT

Enormous amount of weapons found from the various

Harappan sites indicate that the Harappan Empire had a military

system. These weapons have been reported from almost every site

including Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Balakot, Sutkagendor,

Nausharo, Amari, Nal, Gumla, Sarai Khola, Damb Sadat, Kile Gul

Mohammad, Mehrgarh, Chanhudaro, Kotdiji (Pakistan), Manda

(J&K), Kalibangan, Baror, Tarkhanewala Dera (Rajasthan), Ropar,

Kotala Nihang Khan, Dhalewan, Rohira69, Mohrana, Brass

(Punjab), Banawali, Kunal, Rakhigarhi, Balu70, Mitathal, Girawar,

Farmana, Jiwanpur, Bhirrana,71 Lohat, Siswal (Haryana) Sanauli

(U.P.) Lothal, Rangpur, Surkotda, Dholavira, Rojdi, Desalpur,

Padari, Bagasra (Gujarat) etc. However, Specimens from many

sites in the above mentioned list have to be left out from our

discussion. Since their detailed accounts have not been published

so far.

These pointed weapons, with roughly triangular or leaf-like-

shape have been classified by the excavators as arrowhead, dagger,

knife, lance head, spearhead. It becomes very difficult for a reader

to understand clearly the various categories of weapons.72 Under

the circumstances we are left with no other alternative than to

define first the various categories of implements as objectively as

45

possible, and then to reclassify them for a meaningful study. It

may be noted that the distinction between a lance head and a

spearhead is very much related to the use of the weapons, and not

so much to their morphological character.73 Thus, it is very

difficult to determine as to which ones were used as lance head

and which as spearhead. Keeping this difficulty in view, we

propose to classify all these specimens as spearhead, in which the

length-breadth ratio remains less than 5:10 Harappan used

weapons like arrow, dagger, missile, Parasu, Spearhead and Sword

etc.

(a) Arrowhead

The excavations of the Harappan sites have yielded a large

number of arrowheads of copper and bronze suggesting that it was

a popular weapon.74 These are discovered from Harappan sites

such as Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Kotdiji, Mehrgarh, Chanhudaro,

Balakot, Nausharo (Pl.2.16), Lohumjodaro, Naru Warodharo

(Pakistan), Kalibangan (Pl.2.17), Baror, Tarkhanewala-Dera

(Rajasthan), Ropar75, Rohira, Kotala Nihang Khan, Dhalewan76

(Punjab) Bhirrana, Banawali, Rakhigarhi (Pl.2.18), Kunal,

Girawar77, Farmana, Jiwanpur, Surha78, Rindhana-I, Sisai-II,

Manheru79 (Haryana), Sanauli (UP), Lothal, Surkotda, Dholavira

(Pl.2.19), Desalpur, Pabhumath, Padri, Bagasra, Khirsara80 etc.

Plate 2.16. Copper Arrowhead From Nausharo

46

Plate 2.17. Copper Arrowheads from Kalibangan

Plate 2.18. Copper Arrowheads Plate 2.19. 1-2. Copper Arrowheads (Dholavira),

(Rakhigarhi) 3. Harappa

These arrowheads are thin, flat pieces of copper with long

narrow barbs and no tang. These were inserted in a split bamboo

or wooden shaft. It is impossible to set these heads in the shaft

without enclosing a part of the arrowhead into the wood. The blade

of arrow is triangular and leafshaped, without mid-rib. It was used

to throw on the enemy or animals or birds for killing by bow.

Measurements of 12 leaf shaped arrowheads found from

Mohenjodaro are 3.80 cm to 9.60 cm length and breadth 1.60 cm

to 4.0 cm, thickness of these is 0.15 cm to 0.32 cm. Same sites

reported 15 triangular arrow heads, measurement of these are

4.20 to 2.80 cm length, breadth is 1.30 to 2.20 cm and thickness

1.0 to 1.20 cm (Pl.2.20).81 3 Leaf shaped arrowheads made of

copper or bronze reported from Chanhudaro, measurements of

these are 3.88 cm to 9.55 cm length and breadth is 1.29 cm to

3.25 cm thickness of these arrowheads are 0.27 to 0.38 cm. Seven

triangular copper and bronze arrowheads were discovered from

Chanhudaro, measurements of these are 1.65 cm to 4.31 length

cm and breadth 1.20 to 2.03 cm and thickness 0.5 cm to 0.05 cm

two arrowheads have been reported from Harappa are triangular

in shape with measurement of 2.03 cm to 3.17 cm length and

breadth 1.62 cm to 2.50 cm and 0.17 cm thickness. A unique

3

47

arrowhead also found at Harappa is a sharp edged with an

exceptionally long tang measurement of it length 5¼ inch and 2

cm breadth.82 Besides these, few v-shaped arrowheads of copper

were discovered at Harappa, without tang or socket. Arrowheads

found at Lothal are triangular and leaf shaped. The arrowheads

have barbs but they are thin and without a tang, just fit to be

used for killing small game only.83 A triangular shaped arrowhead

reported from Lothal is 2.12 cm length and 1.62 cm breadth, 0.17

cm thickness. Two triangular arrowheads of bronze have been

discovered from Kotdiji. Length of these is 3.40 cm to 4.44 cm and

breadth 1.27 cm to 1.58 cm. Besides these arrowheads, numerous

arrowheads found from various Harappan sites are given below in

the table.

Plate 2.20. Copper Arrowheads from Mohenjodaro

S. No. Site Type Metal Measurement Length × Breadth (cm)

Nature of edge Plate

1. Rakhigarhi Triangular Copper 3.47×1.80 cm Sharp blade with two barb

2. Rakhigarhi Triangular Copper 2.41×1.20 cm Sharp blade 3. Rakhigarhi Triangular Copper 2.0×0.70 cm Broken tip (Pl.2.21.6) 4. Rakhigarhi Leafshaped Copper 1.50×1.20 cm Sharp Blade

with barb (Pl.2.21.5)

5. Rakhigarhi Parallel shape

Copper 2.0×1.40 cm Broken tip and without barb

(Pl. 2.21.2)

6. Rakhigarhi Triangular Copper 2.60×2.30 cm Blade broken only barb complete

(Pl. 2.21.7)

7. Rakhigarhi Triangular Copper 1.30×1.0 cm Tip of Blade Sharped

(Pl. 2.21.3)

8. Rakhigarhi Triangular Copper 3.50×1.80 cm Barbed and sharped

9. Rakhigarhi Triangular Copper 2.40×1.20 cm Barbed and sharped

10. Bhirrana Leaf shape Copper 3.27×1.68 cm Sharp tip and with barb

(Pl. 2.22.1)

11. Bhirrana Leaf shape Copper 2.54×1.45 cm Sharp blade with barb

(Pl. 2.22.2)

48

12. Bhirrana Leaf shape Copper 2.27×1.45 cm Short blade but sharp

13. Bhirrana Leaf shape Copper 2.72×1.18 cm Long blade and sharp with barb

14. Bhirrana Leaf shape Copper 3.50×2.25 cm Sharp blade (Pl. 2.22.3) 15. Bhirrana Leaf shape Copper 2.35×1.45 cm Broken it barbs 16. Bhirrana Leaf shape Copper 3.65×1.85 cm Sharp Blade

with two long barbs

17. Balu Leaf shape Copper 4.0×1.0 cm Long blade and with tang

(Pl. 2.23.1)

18. Balu Triangular Copper 3.0×1.0 cm Sharp tip barbs are broken

(Pl. 2.23.2)

19. Balu Triangular Copper 2.50×0.80 cm Pointed tip barb are broken

(Pl. 2.23.3)

20. Balu Triangular Copper 2.0×1.30 cm Pointed tip and sharp

(Pl. 2.23.4)

21. Banawali Leaf shape Copper 2.50×1.20 cm × 1.0 mm thickness

One barb broken sharp tip

(Pl. 2.24.1)

22. Banawali Triangular Copper 2.60×2.0 cm × 1 mm

Sharp blade with barbs

(Pl. 2.24.2)

23. Banawali Leaf shape Copper 5.20×2.0×1.5 mm

Sharp tip with barbs

(Pl. 2.25)

24. Dhalewan Leaf shape Copper 27.9 mm × 13.33 mm × 0.29 mm

Fine blade and sharp with barbs

(Pl.2.26)

25. Dholavira Triangular Copper 2.72×1.77 cm Sharp point with barbs

26. Girawar Triangular Copper 5.04×0.10 cm Pointed tip with barbs

27. Farmana Triangular Copper 3.57×1.55 cm (1.9 gm.)

Sharp tip and with barbs

28. Farmana Triangular Copper 3.15×2.25 cm (12.5 gm)


29. Farmana Triangular Copper 2.60×2.26 cm (2.6 gm).

Tip Broken and with barbs

30. Farmana Triangular Copper 4.13×2.20 cm Barbs 31. Farmana Triangular Copper 1.7×1.5×0.1 cm Sharp with

barbs

32. Farmana Triangular Copper 3.1×1.7×0.2 cm Sharp with two barbs

33. Kalibangan Triangular Copper 3.0×2.0 cm Pointed tip with two barbs

34. Kalibangan Triangular Copper 3.20×2.0 cm Sharp point and sharp barbs

35. Kalibangan Triangular Copper 2.60×2.20 cm Short blade and bridge barbs

36. Kalibangan Triangular Copper 3.40×1.80 cm Long blade with barbs

37. Kalibangan Triangular Copper 3.60×1.80 cm Wide blade with sharp barbs

38. Harappa Triangular Copper 3.50×1.80 cm × 1 mm


39. Baror Triangular Copper 4.46×1.70 cm Sharp carvet tip with barbs

40. Baror Triangular Copper 2.35×1.40 cm Sharp Blade

41. Baror Leaf shaped Copper 2.10×1.48 cm Sharp Blade

49

42. Farmana Triangular Copper 3.0 × 1.60 cm leaf shape (Pl.2.27) 43. Farmana Triangular Copper 3.0 × 1.40 cm Sharp blade 44. Farmana Triangular Copper 2.0 × 2.0 cm Sharp blade 45. Girawar Triangular Copper 2.0 × 1 cm × 0.5

mm Tringular and long tip

(Pl.2.28.1)

46. Girawar Triangular Copper 5.04 × 0.10 (thick)

Leap Shaped (Pl.2.29)

Plate 2.21. Copper Arrowheads Plate 2.22. Copper Arrow Heads (Bhirrana)

(Rakhigarhi)

Plate 2.23. Copper Arrowheads (Balu) Plate 2.24. Copper Arrowheads (Banawali)

Plate 2.25. Copper Arrowhead from Banawali

50

Plate 2.26. Copper Arrowheads Plate 2.27. Copper Arrowhead

(Dhalewan) (Farmana)

Plate 2.28. Copper Arrowheads (Girawar) Plate 2.29. Copper Arrowheads

(Girawar-2)

A copper arrowhead found from Girawar is socketed.84 The

arrowhead, found from different sites of Harappan are almost like

triangular and leaf shaped or V shaped. But Mohenjodaro and

Chanhudaro people had long type of arrowheads. Probably they

used for warfare and killing big animal. They are symbol of power

of kingship related to warriors. Those arrowheads reported from

Haryana and Punjab Harappan sites are simply used in killing the

enemy and birds. Inverted ‘V’ shaped arrowhead reported to

Bhirrana still retains the fibre impression of the wooden shaft.85 A

copper arrowhead have been reported from Dhalewan by

Vishanukant is leafshaped.

51

A unique discovery; twenty eight copper anthropomorph

shaped arrowheads arrnaged in six row have been found in a

copper container at burial no. 28 from sanauli. The upper part of

these arrowheads is pointed with bards and lower part looks like a

tang, split in two part for attaching its wooden shaft which are

curved in opposite direction. This example may represent a warrior

or an expectional archer who died and in his memory it was

shown.(Pl.2.30).86

Plate 2.30. Copper anthropomorph shaped arrowheads discovered in

Burial no. 28, from sanauli

(b) Stone Arrowhead

Besides metal arrowheads, Harappans used stone arrows. In

excavations of Harappans sites, numerous stone arrowheads found

at various sites such as Mehrgarh, Harappa, Sutkagendor,

Kalibangan, etc. It is very likely that the solitary leaf shaped

arrowhead discovered by pots at Harappan could have reached

there due to contacts with Surjangal and Rana Gundai in the pre-

Harappan time. The sites themselves are nearer to Harappa than

Mohenjodaro.87 There is a profusion of leaf shaped or almond-

shaped arrowheads at Surjangal and what is more significant is

that arrowheads are mostly fabricated by adopting the ribbon flack

of ‘Rohiri’ tradition than by the earlier feather-edge flaking

technique. 16 Laurel-shaped arrowheads of stone found at

Mehrgarh88 5 chert arrowheads found at Kalibangan with following

details.

52

S. No. Site Type Metal Measurement Length ×

Breadth (cm)

Nature of edge

References

1. Kalibangan Leaf shaped Chert 4.0 × 2.40 Wide blade with mid-rib and tang (Pl.2.31.1)

2. Kalibangan Semi-circular

Chert 5.0 × 4.20 Semi-circular Blade with tang (Pl. 2.31.2)

3. Kalibangan Leaf shaped Chert 3.80 × 1.25 Long blade and with mid-rib and tang

4. Kalibangan Leaf shaped Chert 4.60 × 1.0 Sharp tip and long tang (Pl. 2.31.3)

5. Kalibangan Triangular Chert 4.20×1.10 Sharp blade and long tang

B.B. Lal, B.K, Thapar and Others (2007), Excavation at Kalibangan, The Harappan, Vol. II, p. 733

6. Banawali Leaf shaped Chert 5.00×1.50× 0.5

Sharp blade with single mid-rib

Haryana Archaeological Museum, Panchkula

Harappans were used to killing the birds and shoot animal

by the stone arrow.

Plate 2.31. Chert Arrowheads from Kalibangan

(c) Bone arrowhead

Few bone arrowheads have been reported from various

Harappan sites like Tarkhanewala-Dera, Kalibangan, Balu89,

Rakhigarhi90 (Pl.2.32.2), Ropar91, Dhalewan, etc. A bone arrowhead

found at Dhalewan in Punjab has measurement of 4.60 cm length

and breadth 6.35 mm (Pl.2.32.1). It is charred antler bone partly

broken, single, tapering point, circular injection and polished.92

Four bone arrowheads have been reported from Kalibangan

53

measurement of these is 5 cm to 7 cm length circular section and

sharp tip.93 Twenty eight Intact bone arrowheads have been

reported from Rakhigarhi. Most of them are fairly good condition.

These are circular in section, have a tang for hafting in wooden

shaft. They had been chipped, rubbed and fationed to give their

shape.94 Most of bone arrowheads are circular and with sharp

point. Probably Harappans used these for hunting.

Plate 2.32. 1. Bone Arrowhead From Dhalewan, 2. Rakhigarhi

(d) Arrowhead of Wood (Pl.2.33)

Kotla Nihang Khan in Punjab is the only Harappan site.

Where, this type of arrow is reported. It is displayed at Ropar

Archaeological Museum in Punjab. It is 64 mm length, 25 mm

Breadth and 9 mm thickness. It is leaf-shaped made of wood, full

but weathered off and without tang and barb may be used for only

for hunting birds.95

Plate 2.33. Wood Arrow Head From Kotla Nihang Khan

1 2

54

(e) Arrowhead of Horn (Pl.2.34)

During the time of searching the weapons and implements in

the excavated area and archaeological museum found a horn

arrowhead found at Rakhigarhi displayed at Jayanti Archaeological

Musuem, Jind (Haryana). It is 6.0 cm long and 0.7 cm diameter

and of black colour. It is tapering point circular section with tang.

Probably it was used in killing of birds and other animal hunting.96

Plate 2.34. Arrowhead of Horn from Rakhigarhi

2. Bow

Numerous arrowheads found from Harappan sites revealed

that arrow was thrown by Bow. It was made of wood (Pl.2.35). It

was a favourite instrument in curved or arch shape. The bamboo

or other flexible wood was used for making the bow. Animal skin or

intestine was used to make its string. One peculiar octagonal seal

found at Rohira has impression on all sides representing a human

figure with a bow and arrow in hand and an effigy of a monster (?)

standing in front and on the top right there is a symbol of rising

man.97 A standing human figure with bow and arrow on a seal was

found from Ropar and Mohenjodaro (Pl.2.36).98 The Harappans

used the bow for shooting on target by arrow.

55

Plate 2.35. A Drawing Sketch of Harappan Plate 2.36. Copper Tablet-Hunter with

Bow and Arrow. Bow and Arrow (Mohenjodaro)

3. Dagger

Daggers have a longer and thicker tang than that of

spearhead. But it hardly seems necessary for a short handle fitted

to the tang of a dagger. In several Harappan sites, a few daggers of

copper or bronze were discovered from Harappa, Mohenjodaro,

Chanhudaro99, Banawali, Farmana, Kalibangan (Pl.2.37), Lothal,

Surkotada. A dagger is essentially a long narrow, tanged

shouldered and pointed weapon. It differs from a spearhead on

account of its slightly greater length. The edge varies significantly

among the available specimens. They are biconcave, plano-

concave, cancavo-convex, or straight with sharp and blunt cutting

edges.100 After after analysis at all the daggers we can divide into

two types-leaf shaped and triangular shape. Important details are

mentioned in the following table.

Plate 2.37. Copper Dagger (Kalibangan) Plate 2.38. Copper Dagger (Banawali)

56

S. No.

Site Type Metal Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness (cm)

Cross Section

Nature of Edge

1. Mohenjodaro Leaf shaped Copper 17.90×3.53×0.30 Biconvex Both edge sharp

2. Mohenjodaro Leaf shaped Copper 24.00×4.53×2.7 Biconvex Both edge sharp

3. Mohenjodaro Leaf shaped Bronze 33.90×5.96×0.50 Flat Both edge blunt



6. Chanhudaro Leaf shaped Copper/ Bronze

30.78×5.58 Flat Both edge blunt

7. Harappa Triangular Copper 23.50×4.23 Lenticular Both edge sharp




11. Banawali Leaf shaped Copper 23.00×4.50×0.40 Biconvex (Pl.2.38)

Both edge sharp

12. Farmana Leaf shaped Copper 25.95×5.31×0.63 Biconvex Both edge sharp

Mackay told that Daggers are of the following types.

I. Knife-cum-Dagger: The elongated, thinner and double-edged

blade must have served the dual propose of cutting like a

knife, and thrusting like a dagger. Few specimens of this

type have so far been found. Their length ranges between

10.92 cm and 23.62 cm. One of them bears two rivet holes

each 0.22 cm in diameter. One hole at the base of the blade

and the second at the end of the tang would naturally

suggest that it was riveted with a wooden shaft. These types

of daggers are found from Mohenjodaro, Harappa,

Kalibangan, Dholavira101 etc.

II. Shouldered Dagger: Some daggers have abrupt shoulders

which would have withstood very considerable pressure and

must have provided an ample bearing for the haft. Most of

these are made of bronze. These were reveted to the handle

(Pl.2.39).102

57

Plate 2.39. Copper Dagger from Mohenjodaro

III. Narrow double-edge Dagger: The concave sides of these

weapons suggest that these were used for thrusting. This

type of copper dagger has been displayed in National

Museum, New Delhi found at Nal measurement of this is 24

cm length, 4.0 cm breadth and 2mm thickness, sharp point

and a rivet in tang. This type of Dagger is reported from

Farmana.103 The blade of this dagger is tapering side and

sharp tip like Harappa.

IV. Dagger with mid-rib : In some cases the tang of the dagger

is very sharp, which might have facilitated its insertion into

the handle. Some of the daggers have mid-rib which had

been found from Mohenjodaro and Harappa. All types of

daggers were used in thrusting into enemy and other

animals. These are commonly used in war and self-defence

from the enemy and the animals.

No sheath has yet been discovered. It is quite possible that

the sheaths were made of wood, leather and other materials which

have not survived the ravages of time. Possibly, the daggers of a

bigger size were suspended from the waist by a leather belt and the

58

smaller ones were simply slipped into it. In any case, this

suggestion is hypothetical and does not have corroborative

evidence by way of graphic representation.104

4. Parasu (Battle Axe)

Two copper Parasu have been found in different sites of

harappan e.g. Kalibangan105, Rojdi. A copper parasu reported from

Rojdi is 17.5 cm length × 5.0 cm breadth and 0.3 cm thickness.

This cutting tool has parallels in Section Harappan context at

Mithathal (Haryana) and Khurdi in Rajasthan. One side of parasu

has an ‘endless point’ design on it. The upper non-cutting edge has

transverse marks, which appear to indicate that blows were stuck

there in antiquity.106

Harappan people used the parasu for killing the enemy in

war. Parasu was rare weapon used by Harappans. A wooden shaft

was fitted into parasu blade for grip in hand.

5. Double Axe

This type of axe was made by coppersmith especially to be

used as war weapon. Three copper or bronze double axes are

reported from Harappa. The details are as given below:

S.No. Site Metal Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness (cm)

Nature of Edge

References

1. Harappa Copper 6.11×7.99 cm Splayed

Upadhyaya, J.P. (2000), Metal Implements in Ancient India,

2. Harappa Copper or Bronze

7.20×8.50 cm × 6 mm

Splayed (Pl.2.40)

Displayed at National Museum, New Delhi

3. Harappa Copper or Bronze

8.00×8.50 cm × 4 mm

Splayed (Pl.2.41.1)


4. Chanhudaro Copper or Bronze

7.00×5.50 cm × 2 mm

Splayed (Pl.2.41.2)


59

Plate 2.40. Copper or Bronze double Plate 2.41. 1. Double Axe (Harappa)

Axe (Harappa) 2 Double Axe (Chanhudaro)

These are unfinished double axes of which the former is

broken entirely and the latter partly across one cutting edge. The

edges of these double axes are sharp and splayed. These types of

weapons are not found in Haryana and Punjab.

6. Spearhead

A large number of copper and bronze spearheads were

discovered in the Harappan sites. Like Mohenjodaro107,

Chanhudaro, Nausharo (Pl.2.42) Balakot, Allahadino (Pakistan),

Kalibangan, Baror, Tarkhanewala-Dera108 (Rajasthan), Ropar

(Punjab), Balu, Bhirrana109, Rakhigarhi, Kunal, Farmana, Lohat110,

Dashkhera111, Rindhana112, (Haryana), Sanauli (Pl. 2.43) (Uttar

Pradesh) Lothal, Surkotada, Bagasra, Dholavira113 (Pl.2.44)

(Gujarat) etc. A typical Harappan spearhead is generally leaf

shaped, with sharp edges and a sufficiently long tang for the

purpose of hafting in wooden stick. The available archaeological

reports generally do not classify the spearhead. However, it

appears possible to divide them into two broad categories. Since, it

has been observed that the length of various specimens differs

markedly in proportion to their width. Thus, the spearhead of first

category, having a length-breadth ratio of 3:1 and above can be

classified as long and narrow. Second category, which measures

less than the above ratio and can be justifiably termed as short

and broad spearhead.114 The broken specimens, obviously, have to

be excluded from this classification. The table given below records

60

various features of the spearheads of the two categories excavated

from different Harappan sites.

Plate 2.42. Copper Spearhead Nausharo Plate 2.43. Copper spearhead found

at Burial No. 111 (Sanauli)

Plate 2.44. Copper Spearheads from Dholavira

I. Long narrow type of Spearhead : A large number of copper

and bronze spearheads have been found in excavation from

different Harappan sites. The main detail of these mentioned above

is presented in tabulated form below.

S. No.

Site Number of Spearhead

Metal Length Breadth Cross section

1. Mohenjodaro 16 Copper or Bronze 12.58-38.86 3.83-12.19 Biconvex, Flat and Straight

2. Harappa 25 Copper or Bronze 10.92-28.70 3.29-7.61 Biconvex, Plano-convex, concave, convex, Straight

3. Chanhudaro 28 Copper or Bronze 11.73-32.98 2.89-10.59 Flat, Biconvex 4. Kalibangan 2 Copper or Bronze 13.87-15.50 3.25-4.25 Biconvex

61

II. Short-Broad Type of Spearhead : Numerous spearheads

were discovered in various Harappan sites. The blades of these

type of spearheads are short-broad, and made of copper and

bronze. Edges of these spearheads are of leaf shape, triangular and

flat. J.P. Upadhayaya had done research work, in research he gave

the detail of these types of spearheads. Main details of which are

given below:

S.No. Site Number of Spearhead

Metal Length Breadth Cross section

1. Mohenjodaro 16 Bronze 10.28-23.18 3.81-10.41 Flat, Biconvex, straight

2. Harappa 7 Copper or Bronze

10.81-17.39 3.76-7.52 Straight, concave-convex, Biconvex, Plano-convex

3. Chanhudaro 7 Copper or Bronze

10.49-23.41 3.58-9.16 Flat, Biconvex

Some spearheads are displayed in archaeological museums

in Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. In published archaeological reports,

the details of these spearheads are not available and the material

of these has been taken into account very carefully.

S. No.

Site Metal Type Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness (cm)

Edge form and section

References

1. Rakhigarhi Copper Leaf shaped 15.30×3.50 cm ×1.50 mm

Sharp and Biconvex three hole on blade and tang (Pl.2.45.3)

2. Rakhigarhi Copper Broken 3.0 cm × 1.30 breadth

(Pl. 2.45.1)

3. Rakhigarhi Copper Broken 2.50 cm × 1.20

Leaf shaped, Sharp point (Pl. 2.45.2)

(Courtesy) Jayanti Archaeological Museum, Jind, Haryana and IAR, 1999-2000, p. 33.

4. Banawali Copper Triangular 15.50 × 4.0 cm × 4 mm

Sharp edge without mid-rib (Pl.2.46.1)

5. Banawali Copper Triangular 14.60 × 3.50 cm × 4 mm

Very sharp and without mid-rib (Pl.2.46.2)

(Courtesy) Shree Krishna Museum, Kurukshetra

62

6. Harappa Copper Triangular 13.20×5.0 cm × 2 mm

Sharply and Short blade (Pl.2.47.1)

7. Harappa Copper Leaf shaped 21.80×7.0 cm × 1.50 mm

Very Sharply blade and long tip (Pl.2.48)

8. Harappa Copper Leaf shaped 20×9.0 cm × 1 mm

Biconvex and sharp blade (Pl.2.49.2)


Biconvex (Pl.2.49.1)


Sharp Blade, Biconvex (Pl.2.49.3)

11. Mohenjodaro Copper Triangular 23.80×5.80 cm ×2 mm

Blade curved on tip, Script mark on blade (Pl.2.50.2)

(Courtesy) National Museum, New Delhi

12. Kalibangan Copper Leaf shape 12.50 × 3.30 cm Sharply Blade and long tang (Pl.2.51.2)

13. Kalibangan Copper Leaf shape 10×2.91 cm Biconvex edge and sharply (Pl.2.51.1)

14. Kalibangan Copper Triangular 10.83×2.08 cm Tapering Point (Pl.2.51.5)

15. Kalibangan Copper Triangular 10.83×2.08 cm Blade and tang Same (Pl.2.51.3)

B.B. Lal, B.K. Thapar and Others (2007), Excavation at Kalibangan, the Harappan, fig. No. 12.7

16. Kalibangan Copper Triangular 21.42×3.57 cm Long Blade Biconvex (Pl.2.52.1)

17. Kalibangan Copper Leaf shaped 12.10×5 cm Wide blade and long tang (Pl.2.52.2)

18. Kalibangan Copper Triangular 12.80×2.50 cm Sharp and long blade, Biconvex (Pl.2.52.3)

19. Kalibangan Copper leaf shaped 13.90×3.90 cm Sharp blade two holes on blade and a hole on tang for fitting into wooden shaft (Pl.2.52.4)

B.B. Lal, B.K. Thapar and Others (2007), Excavation at Kalibangan, the Harappan, fig. No. 12.6

20. Ropar Copper Triangular 7.50×6.0 – 1.8 cm

Pointed and long tang (Pl.2.53)

(Courtesy) Displayed at Ropar Archaeological

63

Museum, Punjab.

21. Farmana Copper Triangular 24 × 4.83 cm Tapering Blade, Biconvex and long tang (Pl.2.54)

22. Farmana Copper Triangular 13.80×3.86 Biconvex blade and tip or tang is bent (Pl.2.55.1)

Dangi, V. (2010), Archaeology of the Gaggar Basin settlement pattern of Meham Block, Rohtak, Haryana, India, Occasional Paper-8, p. 80-81

23. Tarkhanewala-Dera

Copper Leaf shaped 29×7.5 cm × 2 mm

Biconvex, Long blade sharp (Pl.2.56)

P.K. Trivedi, (2009), Excavation at Tarkhanewala-Dera and Chak 86 (2003-04), pp. 100, 103-04.

24. Baror Copper Leaf shaped

8.90×3.80 cm Biconvex, Sharp Blade, Tang cutting

25. Baror Copper Triangular 9.46×1.90 cm Long Blade and long tang, Biconvex

Puratattva, No. 35, p. 54, plate no. 5

26 Lohat Copper Leaf shaped 7-8 Inch Leaf shape, Sharply blade

According by excavator Dr. R.C. Thakran,

27. Harappa Copper Triangular 23.8 × 4 cm × 3 mm

Long and very sharp blade, Biconvex (Pl.2.47.2)


28. Mohenjodaro Copper Tringular 47x6.0cmx6mm (Pl.2.50.1)

Largest blade, biconvex, two hole near the tang and with mid rib.

29. Bhirrana Copper Tringular 16.20x3.50 (Pl.2.57)

very sharp, long tang

64

Plate 2.45. 1. Copper tip of Spearhead Plate 2.46. Copper Spearheads (Banawali)

2. Tang of spearhead

3. Copper Spearhead (Rakhigarhi)

Plate 2.47. Copper or Bronze Spearheads Plate 2.48. Copper or Bronze Spear

(Harappa) Head from Harappa

Plate 2.49. Copper or Bronze spear Heads Plate 2.50. Copper or Bronze Spearheads

(Harappa) (Mohenjodaro)

65

Plate 2.51. Copper Spearheads Plate 2.52. Copper Spear Heads (Kalibangan)

(Kalibangan)

Plate 2.53. Copper Spearhead (Ropar) Plate 2.54. Copper Spearhead (Farmana)

Plate 2.55. Copper Spearheads (Farmana) Plate 2.56. Copper Spearhead

(Tarkhanewala Dera )

66

Plate 2.57. Copper Spearheads from Bhirrana

Generally the tips of the spearheads are pointed; less

frequently bounded. They are of various shapes often with long

tangs which are sometimes held with rivets. There are two holes at

the base of the head and a third one at the far end of the tang.115 It

is unfortunate that there remains no trace of wooden handle or

shaft in which these heads were once fixed. It has been noticed

that the tang of the most of the spearheads are comparatively long.

As a rule, a long tang is not required for thrusting, but it was just

enough to enable the blade to fit securely in its shaft and to

prevent side-play. All the tangs of spearheads (rectangular and not

round in section) strongly suggest that hollow shafts were used,

such as bamboo.116

A largest spearhead, found at Chanhudaro is with

measurement around 13 inches. After Chanhudaro the largest

spearheads were reported from Mohenjodaro, Harappa and

Farmana. Leaf shaped and triangular spearheads were discovered

at most of the Harappan sites. A leaf shaped spearhead found from

Rakhigarhi has the similarity of the Harappan spearhead. It was

used in hunting. Two spearheads were recorded at Banawali. It

may be compared to Harappan and Mohenjodaro spearheads. It

appears on seeing the edge profile that it might have been used in

warfare purposes. Triangular spearhead has been found from

Ropar which is triangular shape and sharp tip. R.C. Thakran, the

67

excavator of Lohat a Harappan site in jhajjar district discovered a

copper spearhead. It may reveal hunting and war life of Lohat

people.117 Kalibangan was rich site where a large number of all

type of spearheads, both triangular and leaf shaped were found. A

terracotta cake reported from Kalibangan, incised on the overse

with a horned Human figure and on the reverse with a human

figure holding a long spear in hand for sacrificial animal.118 In this

figure of spearhead is sharp with two barb pair and fitted with a

long wooden shaft. The figure showed spearhead was used for

killing the animal (Pl.2.58).

Plate 2.58. Terracotta Tablet from Harappa ,depiciting the Siva-Like seated figure (right)

and person attempting to kill a buffalo by Spear as a sacrifice. (Mature Harappan)

B. Bone Spearhead : A unique spearhead made of bone was

found from Kalibangan. The edge is sharp and triangular and

with a grove at the tang.119 It is 9.15 cm long. A wood shaft is

fitted under it and it may have been used for killing small

animals and birds. Thirty three spearheads of bone have

been discovered from the excavation of Rakhigarhi. Mostly of

them are infairly good condition. Some of them are in broken

as well as blunt end. Most of spearheads have circular

section, but some of them have tringular and rectangular

section also. The working edge of most of the spearheads are

well polished and their hafting end is left upolished and only

chiseling was done.120

68

7. Lancehead

The blades are similar to spearheads but being smaller in

size they have been classed as lanceheads. More or less triangular

in shape sharp double-edge and pointed, their average length is 8

to 10 cm.121 some lanceheads have been reported from

Mohenjodaro, Harappan122 and Chanhudaro etc. A little copper

blade of Lancehead with its two tie-ends and rivet-holes was found

from Chanhudaro123. Lots of copper lanceheads were found from

Mohenjodaro one of these measuring 8 cm inches long by 3.0 cm

Inches wide and 0.22 cm thick, Irregular in shape, Flat tang, 0.88

cm wide by 0.08 inch thick. Second lancehead is of leaf-shaped

length 8.89 cm, breadth 3.04 cm, 0.20 cm thickness, the tip is

missing.

Lancehead was used like spearhead for killing the enemy and

hunting animals. Wooden shaft was fitted in them; Harappan

people threw it by hand with force to target. Mackey discused

about spearhead and lancehead in his research that lancehead is

shorter than spearhead. These are made of copper and bronze

material by metalsmith.

8. Mace-Head

A few mace heads-made of stone like alabaster, sandstone,

limestone, chert and slate, green colour stone were found from

Mohenjodaro124 and Harappa. Mainly three types of mace heads

were discovered from Harappan sites. These mace heads are pear-

shaped, rounded, thickened ring shaped. Mohenjodaro mace heads

are mostly round. A five cm diameter rounded mace-head encased

in a copper vessel is recovered from Harappa. Generally pear

shaped copper mace heads have been found at Harappan site.125 A

round shaped mace head with a cylindrical hole across the centre

has been reported at Harappa (Pl.2.59). It has a rim at the upper

edge. It is 1¾ inch long, daim. 2 inch, dia. of hole 8

7 inch (2.22).126

69

Plate 2.59. Stone Mace-head from Harappa

The mace heads were fastened to a wooden handle by cord or

leather strings. Flexible handles of leather enhanced their

workability. Egyptian mace heads were attached to similar

handles. These were suitable for self-defence, particularly in hand

to hand fight in lonely or forest area. Their perforation is of hour-

glass form bored at both ends. They were presumably latched to a

handle with leather thongs. These types of mace heads were found

at Egyptian sites like Susa and prehistoric European sites127 as

like Cancasus.

9. Sword

Firstly when the excavation took place at Mohenjodaro in

1930-31, swords were found. Before this incident, Marshall

believed that there are no swords in the Harappan empire.128 The

copper swords have been discovered from Mohenjodaro by

Mackay.129 Most important details are available here:

S. No.

Site Metal Weapons Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness (cm)

Detail References

1. Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro (?)

Copper Sword or Dirk

37.80 × 3.70 cm × 5.0 mm

Sharp and thin blade Biconvex with mid-rib and hilt (Pl.2.60)


2. Mohenjodaro Copper Sword 40 × 3.35 cm 3. Mohenjodaro Copper Broken

blade of sword

8.12×3.07 cm Upadhayaya J.P. (2000), Metal Implements in Ancient India, p. 49.

70

Plate 2.60. Copper or Bronze Sword from Mohenjodaro

The first swords found are made of copper and have two rivet

holes near the meeting point of blade and tang. The tang is long,

perhaps for its fitting in hilt of wood and another materials. The

point is not sharp, perhaps used for slashing and not for

thrusting. Second sword found a doubtful size one name of

Mohenjodaro and Chanhudaro displayed at National Museum, New

Delhi. The blade is long biconvex and sharp, tapering toward tip.

The hilt made of copper is jointed that blade. Probably it was used

for thrusting and slashing. The detail of third sword is given by

G.N. Pant and J.P. Upadhayaya in their research. It has two rivet

holes near the meeting point of blade and tang. The tang is

rectangular and its thickest part is 1.65 cm wide. The blunt edges

and point of the blade suggest that it was unfinished.130

These swords are of doubled edge and indicate an advanced

technology of the harappan people. Mohenjodaro was the largest

city of Harappan empire. These swords are the symbols of power

and dignity of Kingship. Some swords are reported from Palestine,

Egypt and Sumer used them as early as 2500 B.C. But to what

country its invention should be ascribed is, at present, very

uncertain131 . However, there is great probability that the sword

was derived from the dagger, it might easily have been invented in

each of these countries independently.

10. Antennae Sword

Two antennae swords occurred during the excavation at

Sanauli (District Bagpat, U.P.) the harappan site. This type of

specimen has not been found at any other harappan site. An

71

antennae sword was discovered in burial. The sword measures

49.3 cm in length and 3.4 cm breadth. It has mid-rib and a double

cutting edge.132 Its antennae hilt flares out to a width of 21cm

(Pl.2.61.2).

Plate 2.61. 1 Sheath. 2 Antennae Sword From Sanauli.

Information regarding second copper antennae sword was

given to me by V.N. Prabhakar (superintending archaeologist). Its

measurement is 43 cm long and 3.84 cm breadth. The sword has

curved hilt and long blade with tapering side a point and a central

rib. Both swords are very sharp and bright stored under V.N.

Prabhakar in old fort store room (Pl.2.62).

Plate 2.62. Antennae Sword From Sanauli

A copper sheath was also found at Sanauli in grave

(Pl.2.61.1). The sheath measures 37 cm long and over 3.4 cm wide

and made of two overlapping parts in round shape133. The sheath,

which is a part of weaponry, perhaps commemorates its master

who might have died in odd circumstances. His weapon could not

be located and only the sheath was buried here as a revered grave

object.

72

Antennae swords have been found at Sanauli and the same

one was recovered in-situ inside a grave. Interestingly, the sword

was placed in upright position in the north of burial. Its sheath,

again of copper, was laid out horizontally across the grave vessels.

This is a crucial evidence in favour of the contemporarility of

Harappans and the copper hoard people. First time an eastern

Harappan site has yielded an antennae sword with long antennae,

like many of them were found in the copper hoard of the Ganga-

Yamuna doab and beyond, in the mid Ganga basin. Prior to this

discovery, a fragmentary copper anthropomorphic artifact of

copper hoard type was found at Lothal in association with a late

stage of mature Harappa. There is an example of Mitathal, where a

copper Harpoon was found. This type of example reveals a relation

of the Harappans and copper hoard people.

11. Missiles

A large number of sling balls were found at all the Harappan

sites. These are made of stone, clay and more such six-ounces

have been found at the foot of the citadel and ninety eight of the

parapets of the tower. Further in the south, in the same area a

quite large hoard of the terracotta sling balls have been found.134

Their shape, material and their finding spots certainly lead us to

believe them to be the weapons of offence. It is however not clear

whether they were thrown by hand or projected from a sling. These

have been grouped into three types by Wheeler –

(a) The numerous sling balls are round or ovoid shape and

measures about 3 cm in diameter for round shape sling balls

and ovoid up to 5.5 cm in length.

(b) Second type of sling balls are lump of clay first compressed

in the hand and lightly baked. They are of (170 g.)135 Six

ounces average weight.

(c) Third type of sling balls are similar to second type, but

weight of these is twelve ounces. (340 g.)

73

A numerous Harappan sites are reported with stone and

terracotta sling ball like Mohenjodaro, Harappan, Chanhudaro,

Kalibangan, Tarkhanewala-Dera, Sothi, Kotala Nihan Khan

(Pl.2.63), Dhalewan, Balu, Kunal, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Badali,

Farmana, Bhirrana, Lothal, Dholavira etc.

Plate 2.63. Terracotta Sling Balls From Kotla Nihang Khan

The details of some sling balls are given below:

S. No.

Weapon Site Material Measurement Dia. (cm)

Detail References

1. Sling Ball

Farmana Stone — Large, Red in colour, slip applied to surface well fired

Occasional paper 8, Linguistics Archaeology and human part, p. 78

2. Sling Ball

Kunal Terracotta 1.57 c m dia Spheroid, treated with light red, wellfired

3. Sling Ball

Bhurtana Terracotta 1.87 cm dia. Spheroid, greyish, colour, wellfired

4. Sling Ball

Farmana Terracotta 2.29 cm dia. Spheroid, treated with buff slip, wellfired

5. Sling Ball

Kheri Meham

Terracotta 2.24 cm dia. Spheroid, red slip, wellfired

6. Sling Ball

Banawali Terracotta 3.63 cm dia. Spheroid, red slip, wellfired

7. Sling Ball

Rakhigarhi Terracotta 3.5 cm dia. Wellfired on decorated punctuated design

8. Sling Ball

Bhirrana Terracotta 3.8 cm dia. Well fired, Decorated,

Vivek Dangi, (2010) Thesis, p. 373

74

with punctuated concentric circles.

9. Sling Ball

Gatoli Stone 2.55 cm dia. Reddish colour, spheroid

Vivek Dangi, (2010) Thesis, p. 366

10. Sling Ball

Ropar Terracotta 3.30 cm dia. (Pl.2.64.1)

Reddish colour

11. Sling Ball

Ropar Terracotta 2.9 cm dia. (Pl.2.64.2)

Spheroid, Buff Colour

12. Sling Ball

Kotala Nihang Khan

Terracotta 1.6 cm dia. Spheroid, Red Colour

13. Sling Ball

Kotala Nihang Khan

Terracotta 2.4 cm dia. Spheroid, reddish colour

14. Sling Ball

Kotala Nihang Khan

Terracotta 4.1 cm dia. Spheroid light reddish colour

Ropar Archaeological Musuem, Punjab.

15. Sling Ball

Mada- hanheri-I

Stone 2.2 cm dia. (Pl.2.65.1)

Spheroid, white colour

16. Sling Ball

Mada- hanheri-I



17. Sling Ball

Mada- hanheri-I



18. Sling Ball

Mada- hanheri-I



19. Sling Ball

Mada- hanheri-I


Large, Spheroid while colour

Found in explaoration of harappan sites of Haryana by Dr. Sukhdev Saini

20. Sling Ball

Dhalewan Terracotta 1.92 cm dia. (Pl.2.66.3)

Spheroid, light red colour, medium two line

21. Sling Ball


Spheroid, redish colour

22. Sling Ball



23. Sling Ball



24. Sling Ball


Spheroid, Buff colour

25. Sling Ball


Spheroid, light redish colour

26.

Sling Ball



Madhu Bala, Vishanu Kant, (2009), Excavation at Dhalewan (1990-2000 & 2001-02), Part-I, p. 440

75

Plate 2.64. Terracotta Sling Balls Plate 2.65. Stone Sling Balls From Madahanheri-1

Plate 2.66. Terracotta Sling Balls From Dhalewan

Mostly sling balls are of round shaped and made of

terracotta and stone in reddish colour, a round shaped faience ball

found from Bara. (P.2.67). Six round shaped sling balls also

tracked down from Bara (Pl.2.68). These were probably used for

playing, killing the birds and small animals. These types of sling

balls are used throughout India during the harvesting season of

maize and bajra for frightening the birds from the crop fields even

today. Harappan used them in slings of ‘Y’ shape and ‘V’ shape

made of wood for projecting by flexible string.

76

Plate 2.67. Faience Sling Ball (Bara) Plate 2.68. Stone Sling Balls (Bara)

Armour

Some small domed pieces of copper, each perforated with two

holes, have been found at Mohenjodaro. These were perhaps sewn

of a garment and used as a coat of male.136 In the National

Museum, New Delhi, several such types of pieces related to the

16th-17th century A.D. stitched together on a cotton tunic to form

body armour, have been preserved. 3-irrugular circular pieces,

8.38 cm in diameter, mark of ten rivets around the bevelled edge

are certainly the patches of some kind.137 Perhaps it’s part of

shield. The pictographs in the Harappan seal may represent men

holding shield for fighting a round disc found from Mohenjodaro

perhaps it would be part of shield (Pl.2.69), besides that no other

evidence was found at any Harappan site of body armour or

helmet.138

Plate 2.69. Copper Plate of Shield from Mohenjodaro

77

List of Mature Harappan Weapons:

1. Copper Mature Harappan Sites

A. Arrowhead Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kotdiji, Mehrgarh, Chanhudaro, Balakot, Nausharo, Lohumjodaro, Naru Warodharo (Pakistan), Kalibangan, Baror, Tarkhanewala-Dera (Rajasthan), Ropar, Rohira, Kotala Nihang Khan, Dhalewan (Punjab), Bhirrana, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Kunal, Girawar, Farmana, Jiwanpur, Surha, Rindhana-2, Sisai-B, Manheru (Haryana), Sanauli (U.P,), Lothal, Surkotda, Dholavira, Desalpur, Pabhumath, Padri, Bagasra, Khirsara (Gujarat)

B. Stone Arrowhead

Sutkagendor, Harappa, Kalibangan, Banawali

C. Bone Arrowhead

Tarkhanewala-Dera, Kalibangan, Balu, Rakhigarhi, Ropar, Dhalewan

D. Wood Arrowhead

Kotala Nihang Khan

E. Horn Arrowhead

Rakhigarhi

2. Dagger (Copper) Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Kalibangan, Banawali, Farmana, Lothal, Surkotada

3. Parasu (Copper or Bronze)

Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Rojdi, Kalibangan

4. Double Axe (Copper and Bronze)

Harappa, Chanhudaro

5. Spearhead

A. Copper or Bronze

Harappan, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Balakot, Allahadino (Pakistan), Kalibangan, Baror, Tarkhanewala-Dera, (Rajasthan), Ropar (Punjab), Balu, Bhirrana, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Rindhana-I, Kunal, Farmana, Lohat (Haryana), Surkotda, Bagasra, Dholavira (Gujarat)

B. Bone Kalibangan (Rajasthan)

6. Lancehead (Copper or Bronze)

Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Chanhudaro

7. MaceHead (Stone) Mohenjodaro, Harappa

8. MaceHead (Copper) Harappa

9. Sword (Copper or Bronze)

Mohenjodaro

10. Antennae Sword Sanauli (U.P.)

11. Missile (Stone or Terracotta)

Harappa, Mohenjodero, Chanhudaro, Kalibangan, Baror, Ropar, Kotla Nihang Khan, Dhalewan, Surkotda, Balu, Badli, Farmana, Kunal, Banawali, Bhurtana, Rakhigarhi, Gatoli and other almost site.


A lot of Harappan Implements are excavated from different

sites. These are made up of copper and bronze for using in

agricultural works, like tilling the land, harvesting, clearing the

78

forest etc. The implements found revealed that there are not many

type of agricultural implements in the Harappan agricultural tool-

kit. Axe, Sickle, Ploughshare, hoe, seed drill, plough (terracotta)

were the chief implements.

1. Axe

The Harappans used axe in agricultural purpose for

chopping the tree and clearing land for harvesting. The Harappan

axes were made of copper and bronze some were probably of stone.

A large number of axes are reported from Harappan sites like

Harappa, Mohenjodaro139, Kotadiji, Chanhudaro, Alimurad,

Sutkagendor (Pakistan), Kalibangan, Kulhade-Ka-Johad

(Rajasthan), Lothal, Rangpur, Surkotda, Dholavira140 (Pl.2.70, Pl.

2.71), Rojadi, Lothal (Gujarat), Balu, Rakhigarhi141, Bhirrana,

Farmana142, Daksh Khera (Haryana) Ropar143, Dhalewan144, Brass

(Punjab). It differs slightly in size and shape at different sites.

However, this distinction does not seem to be so marked as to

warrant separate names, though this implement has been termed

differently in different excavation reports and books, such as axes

blade axe, celt etc. Some celts reported at Harappa, Sutkagendor,

Ropar, Kalibangan (Pl.2.72), Lothal, Surkotda, Nagwada, Bhirrana,

Rangpur, Dholavira are made of copper and stone. Distinguished

celt or axe is the first stage of axe. It is fitted in wooden shaft and

used for agricultural purpose.

Plate 2.70. Copper Axes (Dholavira) Plate 2.71. Copper Axes (Dholavira)

79

Plate 2.72. Copper Axes From Kalibangan.

Various axes have been reported from different Harappan

sites, they seem to be basically of two types long narrow axe and

short broad axe. This classification was done by Mackey and

Marshal after excavation at Mohenjodaro. However, no other

archaeologist seems to have followed this classification. For

convenience, we have decided to set the breadth, length, ratio of 1

: 2 as the basis of this classification – those measuring upto this

ratio belong to the short broad type and other exceeding this ratio

are termed as long narrow types.145

I. Long Narrow Type Axe

A lot of copper and bronze axes have been reported after

excavation of different Harappan sites. The main details of these

has been mentioned in the following table.

S.No. Site Number of Axe

Metal Length Breadth Edge form

Edge Profile

1. Mohenjodaro 27 Copper or Bronze

12.24 – 28.40

3.35 – 11.00 cm

Splayed Mostly Biconvex, Plano-convex


8.46 – 24.91

3.29 – 8.93 cm

Splayed Not clear mention

3. Chanhudaro 11 Bronze 12.34 – 21.39

4.52 – 8.45 cm

Splayed Mostly Biconvex, Plano-convex, Straight

4. Surkotada 1 Copper 25.00×10.00cm×1 cm Splayed Not clear mention

II. Short-Broad Axe

A large number of short blade axes have been found in

different excavated Harappan sites. J.P. Upadhayaya has done as a

research work on these and has given the measurement and some

80

details. These types of axes are made up of copper and bronze and

fitted with a wooden shaft in them for holding. A table shows the

average measurement and detail below here.

S. No. Site Number of Axe

Metal Length (cm) Breadth (cm)

Edge form

Edge Profile

1. Mohenjodaro 20 Copper or Bronze

7.40-21.46 cm

5.00-12.80 Splayed Biconvex


5.17-12.22 cm

4.70-7.99 Splayed Not clearly mentioned

3. Chanhudaro 05 Copper or Bronze

8.38-14.85 cm

5.96-9.39 Splayed Biconvex

4. Rangpur 02 Copper or Bronze

11.00 cm 9.20-11.80 Splayed Not clearly mentioned

5. Kotdiji 01 Copper or Bronze

11.43 × 5.71 cm Splayed Biconvex

6. Kalibangan 01 Coppar or Bronze

7.95 × 5.71 cm Not Splayed

Not clearly mentioned

Apart from these, around seventeen broken part of axes are

found at sites like Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Chunhudaro etc.146 The

blade of These axes are splayed, biconvex and plano convex,

probably these would be used for clearing the forests, hunting and

warfare.

The following details have been collected by scholar for the

sake of research . They are mostly related to Haryana, Punjab and

Harappan sites.

S. No.

Site Metal Type Measurement Length × Breadth × Thickness

(cm)

Ratio (L&B)

Edge form and section

References

1. Mohenjodaro Copper Short Blade Axe

12.00×10.80 cm × 5 mm

1.11:1

Sharp Blade, Biconvex (Pl.2.73)


14.00×8.80cm × 3 mm

1.59:1 Crescent Blade, (Pl.2.74.2)

3. Harappa Copper Short Blade Axe

15.60×8.00cm × 5 mm

1.95:1 Sharp Edge, Biconvex (Pl.2.75)


10.00×6.80cm × 3 mm

1.47:1 Sharp Edge, Biconvex


81

5. Harappa Copper Long

Narrow Axe 18.80×5.20cm × 4 mm

3.61:1 Long blade, Broken in mid (Pl.2.76)

6. Harappa Copper Long Narrow Axe

14.00×6.50cm × 4 mm

2.15:1 Very Sharp Edge, Biconvex (Pl.2.77)


20.00×13.00 cm × 5 mm

1.53:1 Long blade, Splayed, Biconvex (Pl.2.74.3)


22.00×6.20cm × 4 mm

2.02:1 Crescent and Biconvex, Edge (Pl.2.74.1)


20.00×10cm × 5 mm

2.0:1

Crescent and Biconvex edge (Pl.2.78)

10. Dholavira Copper Long Narrow Axe

13×3.80 cm × 4 mm

3.42:1 Long Blade, Splayed, Biconvex (Pl.2.79.4)

11. Dholavira Copper Short Blade Axe

15.30×12.30 cm × 6 mm

1.24:1 Splayed out end, tapering at side. (Pl.2.79.2)

Rediscovering India, 1961-2011, p. 130

12. Dholavira Copper Long Narrow Axe

14.91×5.15cm 1.24:1 Crescent Edge, Biconvex and splayed

IAR 1999-2000. p. 26.

13. Rakhigarhi Copper Short Blade Axe

11.50×9.80cm × 3 mm

1.17:1 Flat (Pl.2.80)

Jayanti Archaeological Museum, Jind

14 Farmana Copper Short Blade Axe

7.3×5.0×0.5 1.46:1 Sharp flat edge and rectangular

15. Farmana Copper Short Blade Axe

8.1×5.8×0.6 1.39:1 Flat Edge and rectangular

Vasant, Shinde & Toshaki, Osada, Manmohan Kumar (2011) Excavation at Farmana, p. 511

16. Dhalewan Copper Long Narrow Axe

15.53×6.36cm × 4.77 mm

2.44:1 Splayed (Pl.2.79.3)

Madhu Bala, Vishanu Kant, (2009), Excavation at Dhalewan

82

(1990-2000 & 2001-02), Vol-I, p. 416-19

17. Ropar Copper Long Narrow Axe

23×10.80cm × 3-9 mm

2.12 : 1 U shaped splayed (Pl.2.81.1)

18. Ropar Copper Short Blade Axe

4.60×4.60 cm × 3mm

1:1 Broken piece (Pl.2.81.2)

19. Ropar Copper Short Blade Axe

8.30××6.40-7.40cm × 3-6 mm

? Broken (Pl.2.81.4)

Displayed at Ropar Archaeological Museum in Punjab

20. Bhirrana Copper Short Blade Axe

13.90×7.20× 6.6 cm

1.93:1 Splayed (Pl.2.79.1)

Rediscovering India, 1961-2011, ASI 2002, p. 130

21. Bhirrana` Copper Short Blade Axe

8.68×5.10 cm 1.70:1 U Shape Puratattva No. 34, p. 22

22. Bhirrana Copper Short Blade Axe

17 cm × 7.30 2.32:1 Crescent Edge, Long and Sharp Blade

Intact

23. Rojdi Copper Short Blade Axe

14.80×9.50× 0.6 cm

1.55:1 ? Agrawal, D.P. (2009), Harappan technology and its legacy, p. 224.

24. Surkotada Copper Long Narrow Axe

24.30×9.30× 0.7 cm

26.1 Sharp Crescentic Edge

Nayanjot Lahiri, D.K. Chakraborti (1996) Coppar and its Alloys in India, p. 59.

Plate 2.73. Copper Axe (Mohenjodaro) Plate 2.74. 1. Copper Axe from Harappa.

2-3. Copper or Bronze Axes (Mohenjodaro)

83

Plate 2.75. Copper or Bronze Axe (Harappa) Plate 2.76. Copper or Bronze Axe (Harappa)

Plate 2.77. Copper or Bronze Axe (Harappa) Plate 2.78. Copper Axe (Harappa)

Script Marks on a Copper Axe (Mohenjodaro)

Plate 2.79. 1. Copper Celt (Bhirrana) Plate 2.80. Copper Axe (Rakhigarhi)

2. Copper Axe (Dholavira)

3. Copper Axe (Dhalewan)

4. Copper Celt (Dholavira)

Plate 2.81. Copper Celt found from Ropar

84

III. Socket Axe

These type of axes inform us that the Harappan had

advanced metal technology.The axes without holes could not hit

anything as hard as the socket axe did. A wooden shaft was fitted

into this type of axe. These axes are rarely found from Harappan

sites like Harappa,147 Mohenjodaro, Lothal, Surkotada,148

mundigak etc.

A bronze socket axe is reported from Harappa with

measurements of 6.85 cm length, 9.52 cm breadth and 0.58 cm

thickness, the lower part of it is broken149 and cutting edge is very

sharp. Lothal socket axes are made of copper or bronze, the blade

of it is crescent and sharp.150 Three specimens of this type found

at Lothal appear to have a shaft-hole.151 A fragment of copper

socket axe found from Surkatada is 4 cm wide and its length detail

is not available. A unique terracotta model of socket axe was found

at Mohenjodaro.152

These types of axes were rarely used by the Harappan and its

stroke was more dangerous than another flat axe. Probably these

are used in war and cutting hard objects. The blade of these axes

are found from different Harappan sites. Perhaps they were used

in war and other agricultural activities. Shouldered axes are found

from Harappa, Lothal and other Harappan sites.

Stone Axe

In stone age the generally stone axes were used. But

Harappans used metal axes at larger scale than the stone axes. Yet

Harappa and Mitathal153 people used stone axes which are flat and

sharp like neolithic variety (Pl.2.82). Probably these types of axes

were more used in cutting soft objects than metal axe.

Plate 2.82. Stone Celt from Harappa

85

Bar Celt

A unique copper bar Celt reported from Rojdi, measures 31.1

× 4.8 × 0.7 cm. Rojdian used this implement for digging earth and

cutting trees.

2. Sickle

There are not many specimens from the different Harappan

sites. A classical sickle should have a curved blade, which is sharp

on one side and thickened on the other, a long with a tang for the

purpose of hafting. These types of reaping implements, with short

handle and semi-circular blade were found from Mehrgarh,154

Mohenjodaro, Harappa,155 Chanhudaro, Mehrgarh, Banawali,

Mitathal and were made of copper and bronze. Various

measurements of these types of implements are given below:

S. No.

Site Metal Measurement Length × Breadth

(cm )

Ratio Detail References

1. Mohenjodaro Copper 11.93×2.66cm×3.81 mm

4.11:1 Sharp curved edge and convex

Marshal, John (1973), Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization

2. Harappa Copper 3.93 × 1.57 2.50:1 Narrow printed tip covered back

3. Harappa Copper 6.22×2.13 2.92:1 — 4. Harappa Copper 5.20×0.52 (Extent) — — 5. Harappa Copper 5.45×1.52 3.59:1 —

Vats, M.S. (1974) Excavation at Harappa, p. 388 & Upadhayaya J.P. (2000), Metal Implements in Ancient India, p. 31

Chanhudaro156 and Banawali,157 sickles are made of copper

but the details of which are not available. Two curved and thicker

sickle blades are displayed at National Museum, New Dellhi. These

are found from Harappa. It may be observed that the specimens of

Harappa measures much smaller in length is comparison to those

of Mohenjodaro. It may had been used for cutting grass or

vegetable and soft branches of trees.

Three chert sickles were reported from Farmana ranging

from 0.88 cm to 7.47 cm on length, concentrating in a range of 2

cm to 3 cm. The sickle blade shows glass created by the use for

cereal cropping on the edges.158

86

3. Hoe

A special type of Implement made up of copper and bronze

are reported from Chanhudaro.159 Mackey tells us these differ from

the blade-axes in that they are longer and splendor. These have

been termed as edge. Similarly, Vats has also pointed two edges

from Harappa,160 and he thought one similar tool from

Mohenjodaro referred to as a long-narrow axe by Marshal should

also be grouped under edge. Ten implements of this type from

Chanhudaro and two from Harappa had been found out the details

of which is given below:

S. No.

Site Metal Measurement (L×B×T) cm

Ratio Edge from

Edge Profile

References

1. Chanhudaro Copper/ Bronze

20.65×4.64×0.40 5:28:1 Splayed Convex

Straight


33.32×3.81×0.71 8:74:1 Not Splayed Convex

Straight


26.72×4.95×0.55 5:39:1 Splayed Convex

Biconvex


24.63×4.01×0.45 6:14:1 Not clear Not clear

Upadhayaya J.P. (2000), Metal Implements in Ancient India, p. 31

Harappan used these types of implements for digging and for

other works in agricultural practices. We can compare them with

the modern hoes.

4. Plough

There is no evidence of metal plough found from different

Harappan sites. But Banawali has a terracotta plough, measuring

19.7 cm in length and 5.5 cm in breadth (Pl.2.83). It is model of a

plough which consist of a solid and cylindrical ‘S’ shaped

handle/shaft with a perforation near the upper end for attaching

to the bull for pulling and a plough shape with a perforation near

the top and pointed working edge for turning over the earth of

agricultural land.161

87

Plate 2.83. Terracotta Plough from Banawali

5. Ploughshare (?)

Some specimens found from Mohenjodaro are classified

as ‘Chisel’ by the excavators; these could have hardly served the

purpose of an implement used in cutting and finishing of wood,

stone, ivory, bone and other materials. Definitely the long, thin

and narrow Chisels which measure twenty centimeters or more in

length, could have been better used as ploughshare.162 These

ploughshares are not exactly similar to modern ploughshares. But

it is similar in measurement, edge profile, butt end etc. Probably

Harappan people were used to plough share for ploughing in their

fields. In Pre-Early Harappan phase ploughed fields with distinct

furrow marks, have already been brought to light at Kalibangan in

Rajasthan.163

6. Seed drill :

Two attached holed copper seed drill have been reported from

Mohenjodaro in DK area. A seed drill is 9.50 cm length and 1.80

cm to 2.40 cm dia. and other is 10.50 cm length and 2.00 to 2.70

cm Dia. It is a unique discovery, perhaps harappan farmer use in

agriuclture for croping the seed in soil. (Pl.2.84)

Plate 2.84. Copper Seed Drill from Mohenjodaro

88

List of Agricultural Implements from Mature Harappan Sites

1. (a) Axe (Copper) : Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kotdiji,

Chanhudaro, Allahadino, Mundigak, Kalibangan, Brass,

Balu, Rakhigarhi, Kunal, Dholavira, Rojadi, Nagwada

(b) Axe (Stone) : Mitathal, Lothal

(c) Celt (Copper or Bronze) : Sutkagendor, Kalibangan,

Ropar, Bhirrana, Lothal, Rangpur, Surkotda, Dholavira,

Nagwada.

2. Sickle (Copper or Bronze) : Harappa, Mohenjodaro,

Mehrgarh, Banawali, Chanhudaro, Mitathal (A Sickle Hook)

3. Hoe (Copper or Bronze) : Harappa, Mohenjodaro

4. Plough (Terracotta) : Banawali

5. Ploughshare (Copper or Bronze) : Mohenjodaro.

6. Seed drill : Copper or Bronze from Mohenjodaro.

C. IMPLEMENTS OF VARIOUS CRAFTS:

Harappans were very advanced in craft technology. A large

Harappan site has rich material remains. Many of which seem to

be associated with various craft practised by the Harappan. They

also made different specimen of copper/bronze, stone, bone, ivory

implements, which were used in different craft. This observation is

primarily based upon the comparison of their implement with the

present day craft tools.164 A large number of implements like adze,

chisel, saw, awl, drill, borer, gouge, bead-tool, spindle whorls,

plumb-bob, chopper were found during excavation from different

Harappan sites which are likely to have been used by craftsmen

like carpenter, coppersmith, cobbler, weaver etc. Specialization in

craft would suggest the appearance of territorial communities.165

1. Adze

The adze has a long body and only a weak attachment to the

hundle. As it was never struck in deeply, whereas the adze is a

carpenter’s tool – a sort of an axe with the blade set at right angle

to the handle and curved to use it, used for cutting, slicing or

89

planing the surface of wood.166Copper or Bronze adzes have been

found from different Harappan sites like Harappa, Mohenjodaro,

Chanhudaro, Mundigak, Mitathal,167 etc.

A bronze adze found at Harappa measures 22 cm long and

6.35 cm breadth at the lower edge and 4.30 cm at the butt end. Its

maximum thickness is 6.35 mm which taken down to 1 mm at the

cutting edge and to 1.27 mm at the butt end.168

A similar tool was reported from prehistoric Egypt. Another

specimen was discovered at Harappa. Its socketed adze, a wooden

shaft fitted into its hole.169 A socketed axe-adze made of bronze

found at Mohenjodaro170 is a unique tool in Harappan civilization.

It would have been used in cutting – digging purpose and other

carpentry activities. An adze discovered at Mohenjodaro has been

displayed at National Museum, New Delhi. It measures is 26 cm in

length and 7 cm in breadth. The cutting or digging edge is 6.5 cm

wide and second part of digging is triangular and sharp. The hole

of adze measures diameter about 4.50 cm.171 A wooden shaft is

fitted into this hole for working process (Pl.2.85).

Plate 2.85. 1 Copper adze from Mohenjodaro

Some adzes reported from Chanhudaro differ from the blade-

axes in that they are longer and slender. There is no marked

dissimilarity between the Chanhudaro and Mohenjodaro specimen.

An adze is unusually long and may have been made for some

special purpose.172 Harappans used these tools for different works

of carpentery. Probably Harappans were advanced in carpantery.

90

2. Chisel

Chisels were common tools of Harappan craftsmen, which

are found from different sites such as Harappa, Mohenjodaro,173

Kotdiji, Mehrgarh, Chanhudaro,174 Nal, Nausharo, Gumla

(Pakistan), Mundigak (Afghanistan), Kalibangan, Tarkhenewala-

Dera,175 Baror (Rajasthan), Lothal, Surkotada, Dholavira

(Pl.2.86),176 Bagasara, Khirsara, Nagwada (Gujarat), Ropar,

Rohira177 (Punjab), Balu, Bhirrana, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Girawar,

Jiwanpur,178 Farmana, Mitathal, Pauli179 (Haryana) etc. A large

number of chisels were made of copper than bronze. These were

made out of a metal bar of which one end is bevelled to one of the

most sharp edges and the other is left blunt for being struck with a

Hammer. They have a rectangular, square or round section with

broad rectangular tang and a narrow blade. Some were possibly

used with a wooden handle.180 When we observe the chisels found

at Harappa they are mainly divided into five categories. About

chisels, some suggestions were given by Mackey after the

excavation at Mohenjodaro.

Plate 2.86. Copper Chisel from Dholavira

(a) Long, rectangular or square in section, generally of uniform

thickness throughout their length.

91

(b) Rectangular or square in section with a long flattened tang.

(c) Round in section.

(d) Short round or rectangular or square in section.

(e) Short and pointed.

In Category (a) type, chisels are most common. Their angular

bodies made them easy to manipulate with the fingers. They must

have been used for various kinds of work, and artisans would have

used them to carve the seals .181 In Second type (b) chisels were

peculiar to the Harappan culture and were probably used only in

wood-working. Their long flat tangs were undoubtedly encased in

wooden handle and their butt ends in consequence are rarely

found burred by the hammer. Type (c) is definitely rare, although

simply made out of a round rod of copper or bronze flatted at one

end to form an edge.

The short type of chisels under category (d) and (e) appear to

have been used exclusively on metal; their head frequently shows

heavy burring. It is possible that some of them were originally

clasped in handle set at right angles to the tool. The pointed and

short chisels under category (e) are distinctly rare.

Harappan chisels seem to fall into two broad basic types

under the length mentioned in first type. The long narrow chisel

and second type of chisel are short broad, both having rectangular

or square cross-sections. The basis of this classification is their

length, breadth and ratio. Those having a ratio upto 10:1 being

termed as short broad chisels and those exceeding this long

narrow chisels. Some types of chisels are mentioned in the

following table:

92

I. Long-Narrow Type Chisels

S. No.

Site No. of Chisels

Type Measurement Length ×

Breadth (cm)

Section Edge Tanged/ Not

tanged 1. Mohenjodaro 39 Long-

narrow 3.35-22.86 × 0.25-1.77 cm

More Rectangular Square in less

Mostly not splayed and biconvex

Mostly without tang

2. Harappa 05 Long-narrow

6.85-17.86 × 0.62-1.41 cm

Rare in Plano- convex both splayed and not splayed

Both tanged and without tang

3. Chanhudaro 11 Long-narrow

7.36-18.11 × 0.48-1.09

Mostly rectangular few square

Not splayed Biconvex

A tanged or without tang

4. Surkotada 1 Long-narrow

11.62×0.99 — — —

5. Kotdiji 1 Long-narrow

14.12×0.91 Rectangular Convex not splayed and Plano-convex

Flattened tang

II. Short-Broad Type Chisels

S. No.

Site No. of Chisels

Type Length × Beadth

Section Edge Tanged/ Not Tanged

1. Mohenjodaro 18 Short-broad

3.20-15.49 × 0.50-2.31

Mostly rect. and few square

Mostly splayed and biconvex rarely plano-convex

Both types are available

2. Harappa 11 Short-broad

4. 69-16.45 × 0.82-2.11 cm

8 Splayed and 3 Not splayed

Slope is present nature not clear

No tang mostly

3. Chanhudaro 28 Short-broad

2.03-16.81 × 0.99-2.81

1 Square and Mostly rectangular

11 splayed, 17 not splayed mostly biconvex, plano convex

1 tang and other no tang

4. Kotdiji 01 Short-broad

7.93×0.63 — Biconvex Not tang

5. Mohenjodaro 02 Round 10.16-10.46-0.25-0.50 Dia

Round Biconex Not tang

6. Mohenjodaro 03 Pointed 2.92-11.55× 0.63-1.14

Rectangular square round

squairish

Pointed Round Not Tang

7. Chanhudaro 02 Pointed 4.64-11.81× 0.99-1.39

Square and Rectangular

Pointed and round

Both tang and not tanged

Above Chisels have been mentioned by J.P. Upadhayaya in

his research work since 2000. Other material available in the

museum and published reports are contained in this research with

measurement and main detail like sites, edge profile, references,

shape etc. These materials have been given in the following table.

93

S. No.

Site Type Metal Measurement Edge Profile References

1. Chanhudaro Short-broad

Copper or Bronze

19×2.40 cm × 7 mm Rectangular, Splayed edge butt is wide in Rectangular (Pl.2.87.1)


Copper 16×6cm×6 mm Rectangular Biconvex (Pl. 2.87.2)


Copper 13×6cm×3 mm Rectangular Biconvex (Pl. 2.87.3)

4. Harappa Short-broad

Copper 14×1.80cm × 6 mm Rectangular Biconvex, wide butt (Pl. 2.88)

5. Nal Short-broad

Copper 21×4cm×2 mm Pointed Edge rectangular (Pl.2.89.1)

6. Nal Short-broad

Copper 16.6 × 3.50 cm × 6 mm

Pointed Edge Rectangular (Pl.2.89.2)

Displayed at National Museum,

New Delhi.

7. Rakhigarhi Short-broad

Copper 4.50 × 0.80 cm Pointed Edge (Pl.2.90.3)


Copper 2.60×0.60 cm Rectangular Broken part (Pl.2.90.2)


Copper 2 cm × 1 cm Triangular Broken Part (Pl.2.90.1)

Displayed at Jayanti

Archaeological Museum, Jind

10. Balu Short-broad

Copper 6.20×1.20×0.50 cm Rectangular Broken (Pl.2.91.1)


Copper 9×0.60×0.50 cm Round shaped broken part (Pl.2.93.3)


Copper 1.50×1.20 cm × 4mm Rectangular broken part (Pl.2.91.2)

Displayed at Archaeological

Museum, Dept. of A.I.H. Cul. &

Archaeology K.U. Kurukshetra

13. Banawali Short-broad

Copper 3.50×1cm × 0.7 cm Rectangular broken part (Pl.2.92.1)

14. Banawali Short-broad

Copper 8.50×0.60 cm × 4 mm Rectangular edge of broken part (Pl.2.92.2)

Archaeological Museum, Panchkula

15. Kalibangan Long-narrow

Copper 14.50×0.90 Rectangular tapering toward edge (Pl.2.93.8)


Copper 8.63×0.50 Rectangular and flat (Pl.2.93.7)


Copper 10.35×0.80 Rectangular and flat (Pl. 2.93.5)

Lal, B.B. and Other (2007) Excavation at

Kalibangan, Part-II, P. 769, figure

12.4

94


Copper 11.00×0.50 Squirish (Pl. 2.93.6)

19 Kalibangan Short-Broad

Copper 9.85×0.70 Rectangular convex edge (Pl. 2.93.4)


Copper 7.67×0.75 Rectangular, flat (Pl. 2.93.3)

21. Kalibangan Short-Broad

Copper 4.50×0.90 Rectangular flat edge


Copper 13.40×0.90 Squarish Biconvex edge (Pl. 2.93.2)

23. Kalibangan Short-Broad

Copper 14.80×1.50 Flat, Rectangular, Biconvex, splayed edge (Pl. 2.93.1)

24 Dholavira Short-Broad

Copper 2.72×1.50 cm Biconvex, Splayed Broken part

25. Dholavira Short-Broad

Copper 3.81×0.61 cm Rectangular flat edge

26. Dholavira Short-Broad

Copper 4.50×1.29 Rectangular broken part

IAR, 1999-2000,

p. 25, Plot 17

27. Dholavira Axe-Chisel

Copper 8.36×2.36 Flat like axe broken in mid

IAR, 1999-2000, p. 26, plot 18

28. Ropar Short-Broad

Copper 6.20×3.5×0.80 cm Full intact

29. Ropar Long-narrow

Copper 5.6×0.50×0.20 Full Intact


Copper 7.4×0.50 Full Intact (Pl. 2.94.1)


Copper 16.10×1.10×0.90 Full Intact, Tip Slightly broken

32 Ropar ? Copper 17.20×11.80 × 0.50-0.20

Half broken vetrified (Pl. 2.94.2)

Archaeological Museum, Ropar,

Punjab

33. Dholavira Long-narrow

Bronze 15.3×1.3× 0.68 cm Straight and Sharp Cutting edge

Rediscovery India, 1961-2011, p. 132.

34. Pauli Long-narrow

Copper 6.33×0.58×0.41 cm Working end is sharp

Dangi, Vivek, (2010), Thesis

35. Surkotada Long-narrow

Copper 30.5 cm × 2.75 Squarish Double splayed edge

Agrawal, D.P. (2009), Harappan test and its legacy,

p. 276

36. Tarkhanawala- Dera

Long-narrow

Copper 15 cm × 01 cm Rectangular Trivedi, P.K. (2009),

Excavation at Tarkherewala-

Dera and Chak 86, pp. 105-07.

37. Girawar Short-broad

Copper 4.31×0.55 Rectangular Dangi, Vivek (2009), Occasional

Paper-8,

95

Linguistic Archaeology and

Human part, p. 81, figure, 64, no. 3

38. Farmana Long-narrow

Copper 5.41×0.41 cm Rectangular


Copper 8.95×0.88 cm Rectangular (Pl.2.95.1)




Copper 7.80×0.62 cm Rectangular (Pl.2.95.2)

42. Farmana Short-broad


Toshiki, Osada and Akinori

Uesugi (2008), Occasion paper-8,

Linguistic, Archaeological and human part,

pp. 106-07.

Plate 2.87. Copper Chisels (Chanhudaro) Plate 2.88. Copper Chisel from Harappa

Plate 2.89. Copper Chisels from Nal Plate 2.90. Copper Chisels from Rakhigarhi

96

Plate 2.91. Copper Chisels from Balu Plate 2.92. Copper Chisels from Banawali

Plate 2.93. Copper Chisels from Kalibangan Plate 2.94. Copper Chisels (Ropar)

Plate 2.95. Copper Chisels from Farmana

1 2

97

It is obvious the chisels are long narrow and short broad

from the main type of the Harappan metal tool-reportoire, the

sections of these chisels are mainly rectangular and rarely square

or squarish, except in the case of those made of round bars. Most

chisels have flat, splayed and rare tanged also. These described as

having burred butt exhibit distinct mark of repeated Hammering.

The untanged specimen were obviously heavy-duty Implements,

used presumably for cutting and chiselling hard wood, bone, ivory,

albaster etc.182 Both pointed-edged chisels found at Dholavira have

been displayed at National Museum, New Delhi are unique tools of

crafting.

B. Stone and Horn Chisels (Pl.2.96)

A unique chisel made of Horn reported from Rakhigarhi,

measures 3.7 cm length × 3 cm breadth ×1 cm thickness. It is a

fragment of chisel having double mid-rib.183 It may have been used

in shaft working activities. A few stone chisels are discovered in

the Harappan sites like Kalibangan. The details of these are not

available in reports. Some stone chisels are reported from

Kalibangan.

Plate 2.96. Chisel of Horn from Rakhigarhi

3. Saw

Copper or bronze saw having a row of sharp teeth at the

cutting edge were among the cutting tools used by the Harappans.

The Harappans probably fixed a wooden handle with 2 or 3 large

rivets placed wide apart, to the saw.184 Saws were reported after

98

the excavation of different Harappan site like Mohenjodaro,185

Harappa, Chanhudaro, Lothal,186 Nagwada,187 Kalibangan188

(Pl.2.97) etc. The cutting edge, which in all cases in a specimen, is

convex, concave or straight, with a blunt straight back. It is

observed that some specimens have a long tang at the distal end

for fixing handle. There is a solitary specimen from Kalibangan

which is tanged at both the ends, thus indicating that it was

handled by two persons simultaneously.189 The cutting edge of

bronze, saw is semi-circular and serrated.190

Plate 2.97. Copper Saw from Kalibangan

Their details are mentioned in the following table.

S. No.

Site Metal Measurement Length ×

Breadth (cm)

Ratio Cross Section

Nature of Edge

1. Mohenjodaro Copper 42.16×11.37 3.70:1 Flat Convex dentate 2. Mohenjodaro Bronze 32.00×7.87 4.06:1 Flat Concave dentate 3. Mohenjodaro Bronze 46.48×16.00 2.90:1 Flat Straight undentate 4. Mohenjodaro Bronze (?) × 6.29

(Broken) — Flat Not Clear

5. Harappa Copper 13.71×4.44 3.08:1 Flat Straight dentate 6. Harappa Copper 12.70×6.09 2.08:1 Flat Straight undentate 7. Chanhudaro Copper 27.25×8.96 3.04:1 Flat Convex undentate 8. Kalibangan Copper 10.65×2.55 4.17:1 Flat Convex Sharp

undentate

Mohenjodaro has the richest rise in carpentary tools, which

has four saws longer than other Harappan sites saw. These were

used for cutting wood, stone and other hard materials. A unique

saw-edge blade made of stone has been found from Chanhudaro by

Majumdar, which clearly indicates the functional important tool.191

4. Awls or Reamer

Various type of awls or Reamers made of copper/bronze were

found at Harappa, Mohenjodaro,192 Chanhudaro, Lohumjodaro,193

99

Alimurad, Kalibangan, Lothal,194 etc. These look like a cobbler’s

awl made of a bar rectangular, round, square in section. Near the

point there is a slight inward cut, perhaps for putting the thread

for the leather, wood, bone, ivory etc. The butt end appears to have

been let into a handle. Besides these purposes, Marshal and

Mackey suggested that these pointed specimens were also used for

engraving designs and letters on pottery as well as seals. Their

length varies significantly in comparison to their breadth/diameter

to the extent that the length – thickness ratio of one specimen is

as much as 92.45:1, while it is only 8.86:1 in another. J.P.

Upadhayaya has mentioned in his research the main features of

them:-

S. No.

Site Metal No. of

tool

Measurement Length × Dia

cm

Thickness (cm)

Ratio Cross Section

1. Mohenjodaro Bronze 1 9.60×? 0.30 32.0:1 Square 2. Mohenjodaro Copper 17 4.92-18.49 ×

0.20-0.63 0.12-0.71 10.25:1

– 44.18:1

Two rectangular one square 14 round

3. Harappa Copper 1 10.92×0.36 — 30.33 Round 4. Chanhudaro Copper/

Bronze 17 3.86-19.35 ×

0.17-0.45 0.30-0.76 8.86 : 1

– 60.35 : 1

6 round, 5 square, 6 rectangle

B. Bone Awls or Reamer

The Harappans also used the bone awls for sewing and

holing purpose. The evidence of these type of awls were found from

Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan, Tarkhanewala-Dera,195

Bhirrana196 etc. These are of irregular shapes which prompted

Mackey to conclude that they are probably made of the bone of

birds197 and other animals. The fragment of an awl occurred from

Tarkhanewala-Dera is circular in section. The tip of the polished

tapering implement retains the knife mark broken.

Ivory Awls or Reamers

The Harappan people used ivory for making tools and others

implements. Awls made by Harappans from ivory. Some specimens

100

of awls are reported from Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan,198

Dhalewan etc. There are round and pointed, an awl fragment

found from Dhalewan measures 5.54 cm long and 1.20 cm

diameter, triangular in section single long and fine sharp pointed

tip.199 (Pl.2.98)

Plate 2.98. Ivory Awl from Dhalewan

Besides metal and bone awls, stone awls were rarely reported

from few Harappan sites like Chanhudaro, Mohenjodaro etc.

Majumdar and Mackey identified some tools excavated by him as

one of its ends worked upto a point which could be used as

awls.200

5. Drill

There is no complete drill recovered so far from any of the

Harappan sites. Some tools have been identified as drill by

excavators. These are reported from Mohenjodaro, Harappa,

Chanhudaro,201 Mehrgarh, Kalibangan,202 Lothal,203 Surkotda,204

Dholavira, Tarkhanewala-Dera205 etc. Some measurements of Drills

are available here:

S. No.

Site Metal Length (cm)

Diameter (cm)

Thickness (cm)

Cross Section

Remark

1. Mohenjodaro Copper 6.09 0.78 — Round One end pointed

2. Mohenjodaro Bronze 7.16 0.27 — Round Both ends pointed bulbous in middle


4.06 0.53-0.88 (min-max)

0.12 Hallow Section

Round

101

They are, according to Coghlan206 the earliest explores in the

world. There are the tapered tubes of thin copper and bronze. A

drill-bit has twisted grooves with a chisel end and works exactly

like a modern auger. It must have been fiitted into a T-shaped

frame to bore holes by rotary movement with downward pressure.

There tubular objects from Chanhudaro have been classified by

the excavator as drill. Tubular drills are found rarely in

Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Lothal, Dholavira. These drills take the

form of tapered tubes of thin copper or bronze and also carefully

made and perfectly rounded that it seems that they were shaped

on a mendrel.

Dholavira is the richest site of Harappan civilization, a large

number of drill bits have been found at that site. Only one drill

made of copper is reported there. Besides it all drills made of stone

are mostly like Ernestite (Pl.2.99), chert etc. There are only 82%

drill bits related to Mature Harappan Phase in 1206, others are

related to Late Harappan.207 The broad drill types observed are

cylindrical drill, tapered cylindrical, constricted, cylindrical, re-

used, resized and pointed drill. Since only a single specimen of the

pointed drill type has been observed in the collection, hence there

is a possibility that this object could have been used for some

other purpose than drilling. The maximum length of the drill varies

from 3.34 to 30.89 mm while the length of complete drills varies

from 6.33 to 30.89mm out of the total drills almost half of the

drills are complete. The width of drill varies from 1.25 mm to 5.33

mm with a mean width of 2.79 mm. The drill may have been used

for making perforations on a variety of materials including wood,

shell, pottery, bone and various stones like Lapis Lazuli, Sateatite,

hemetite, sandstone and siliceous rocks.208 It is possible that the

drills were used for making bead and other crafting activities.

102

Plate 2.99. Ernestite Drill Bits from Dholavira

6. Bead Tools

Chanhudaro, the Harappan city was famous for bead making

industry. There were discovered six specimens of a new tool-type.

These strange tools of copper or bronze might have been used in

bead making, as they were found in association of a large number

of minute beads.209 These tools suggest that they may have been

used for such purposes as making holes, finishing bead etc. The

detailed parameters are as follows:

S.No. Site Metal Length (cm)

Breadth (Dia)

Nature of Point/end

1. Chanhudaro Bronze 4.82 0.50 Upper end blunt, lower end pointed

2. Chanhudaro Bronze (?) 4.00 0.40 Upper end blunt, lower end pointed


2.50 0.40 Hallow type, a point of metal attached to the lower end.


2.30 0.40 Hollow type lower point missing


2.20 0.30 Solid lower point missing


2.36 0.35 It has a very fine lower tubular point.

7. Scissor

Two scissor blades of copper are unearthed from Bagasra a

Harappan site in Gujarat.210 Details are not available. However it

appears that it was used for cutting purpose, may be cutting of

leather, clothes, thread, hairs and other soft materials.

8. Borer and Burin

Borer is a thick, projecting point used for boring. These are

made of copper unearthed from Rohira211 and Balu212 the

103

Harappan sites in Punjab and Haryana. Artisan used them into

different craft activities. They are the same as awl. A copper borer

of Balu, measures 15 cm length and 5 mm diameter, pointed, with

tang (Pl.2.100.1).

Burin is a small chisel-like tool on a blade-like plake having

a sharp but thick-set cutting edge. Balu and Kalibangan people

used this type of tools. Four burins made of chert were found at

Kalibangan,213 they are sharp and pointed. A copper round shaped

burin unearthed from Balu, round shape and pointed, measures 6

cm in length, 0.7 cm in breadth and 5 mm thick (Pl.2.100.2).214

The artisan used them for engraving, cutting and working in wood

and others materials.

Plate 2.100. Copper Borers from Balu

9. Chopper

A unique special chopping tool used for cutting was reported

from Harappa. It is a semi-oval chopper with short tang. Its tip is

pointed and curved back causing a little concavity at this point in

the back edge, which is otherwise almost straight and much

thicker than the cutting edge. It still retains the sharp edge and is

a strong, dependable tool, its measurements are 19.36 cm length

and 5.38 cm breadth.215 A copper chopper has been reported from

104

Kalibangan. It has rectangular blade and with tang fitted in

handle. (Pl.2.101)

Plate 2.101. Copper Chopper from Kalibangan

10. Spindle Whorls

These are circular objects, with one or more central holes,

used as a flying wheel in a spindle (Takli). The spindle whorls are

made of materials like terracotta, bone, shell, fiance, stone, metal

and wood but the terracotta spidle whorls are mostly found at

Harappan sites like Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Lothal,

Surkotada, Kalibangan etc.216 These were possibly used in

spinning cotton as can be guessed from their light weight and

small size of the hole. In whorls with more than one holes as many

split wooden spindles were used possibly to spin coarse fabric

such as Jute. It is quite likely that the large terracotta objects

identified beads shaped like an areca-nut, with a concave base,

often at the habitation site, were also used as spindle whorls.

11. Plumb-Bob

Some type of tools made of shell, ivory, stone, fiance, metal

were found at Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Dholavira, Lothal,217

Kalibangan etc. The Mohenjodaro specimen is a lead ball, 3.04 cm

in diameter to which a copper or bronze staple is attached to one

end for suspension. The Chanhudaro specimen is oval in shape,

2.27 cm long and 1.40 cm in diameter.218 Kalibangan plumb-bob is

made of fiance and is oval shaped.

The harappan town planners used these instruments for

surveying land and measuring angle. The tools, which have been

discussed here must have been used in land survey and for fixing

alignment of street and houses. These could have been fruitfully

105

used by masons for erecting straight wall of various building

(Pl.2.102).

Plate 2.102. Harappan Plumb-bob

12. Gouges (A Chisel with Hollow Blade)

Four bronze Gouges have been found only at Harappa.219

These are essentially a carpenter’s tool meant for making round

holes in wood. It could have also been used on the other soft

materials like bone and ivory for similar purpose. The

measurement is as follows.

S.No. Site Matel Length (cm)

Breadth (cm)

Edge

1. Harappa Bronze 10.16 0.72

2. Harappa Bronze 18.97 0.95

Round and flat tubular edge

3 Harappa Bronze 7.11 1.08 Pointed

4. Harappa Bronze 7.11 0.01 Pointed

13. Hammer

The Harappan metalsmiths used hammers for beating metal

to shape and size, breaking rock and driving nail. A copper

hammer was reported from Mohenjodaro.220 It has bent plain

marks butt. A socketed stone hammer was discovered at Lothal.221

It is used for beating of copper and other metal by metal smith.

106

List of Various Craft Implements in Mature Harappan Phase

1. Adze (Copper or Bronze) Mundigak,Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Mitathal 2. Chisel (Copper or Bronze) Mundigak (Afganistan), Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kotdiji,

Mehrgarh, Nal, Chanhudaro, Nausharo, Gumla (Pakistan), Kalibangan, Tarkhanewala- Dera, Bagor (Rajasthan), Lothal, Surkotada, Dholavira, Bagasara, Khirsara, Nagwada (Gujarat), Ropar, Rohira (Punjab), Balu, Bhirrana, Banawali, Rakhigarhi, Girawar, Jiwanpur, Farmana, Mitathal, Pauli (Haryana).

Chisel (Horn) Rakhigarhi Chisel (Stone) Kalibangan 3. Saw (Copper or Bronze) Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Lothal, Nagwada,

Kalibangan 4. Awl or Reamer (Copper or

Bronze) Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Lohumjodaro, Alimurad, Kalibangan, Lothal

Awl or Reamer (Bone) Mundigak, Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan, Banawali Awl or Reamer (Ivory) Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan, Dhalewan. 5. Drill (Copper or Bronze) Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Mehrgarh, Chanhudaro,

Tarkhenewala-Dera, Kalibangan, Lothal, Surkotada, Dholavira.

Drill (Stone) Dholavira 6. Bead Tool (Copper or Bronze) Chanhudaro 7. Scissor (Copper) Bagasara 8. Borer (Copper) Rohira, Balu 9. Burin (Copper) Balu 10. Burin (Chert) Kalibangan 11. Chopper (Copper or Bronze) Harappa 12. Spindle Whorls (Stone, Bone,

Terracotta) Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Lothal, Surkotda, Kalibangan.

13. Plumb-Bob (Copper, Stone, Ivory) Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, Dholavira, Lothal, Kalibangan. 14. Gouges (Bronze) Harappa 15. Hammer (Copper) Mohenjodaro Hammer (Stone) Lothal 16. Seed drill Mohenjodaro


These are the implements which were used in daily life e.g.

knives, needles, fish-hooks, razors, blades, hooks, points,

scrappers etc. Almost all Harappan sites have household tool made

of copper, bronze, stone, bone and ivory. Harappans might have

used them for cutting, making holes, Scraping, fishing and other

activities. It is very difficult to discriminate between knife and

dagger. A knife is a tool, one edge of which is sharp and the other

is blunt, with a pointed round tip and a tang on the proximal end.

1. Knife

Harappan people used knife in daily life. Knives were made of

different materials like bronze, copper, stone, bone and ivory for

107

cutting vegetable and soft things, leather, meat etc. The metal

knife was reported from Harappa, Mohenjodaro,222 Chanhudaro,

Sutkagendor,223 Lohamjodaro, Lothal, Rangpur, Surkotada,

Khirsara, Dholavira,224 Rojdi, Bagasara, Nagwada, Kalibangan

(Pl.2.103), Rakhigarhi, Balu225 etc. The knives occured in several

shapes e.g. some are triangular having leaf shaped blade with

curved end. Some are plain, some narrow and straight, some have

curved edges and some have rectangular sections. Mackey had

divided knives into eight categories e.g. (a) Broad leaf shaped

blade, (b) Leaf shaped blade with curved tip, (c) Narrow, Straight

knives, (d) Triangular knives with upturned points, (e) Broad

curved edged knives, (f) narrow curved edged knives (g) Hollow

backed knives, (h) Double-curved knife (Pl.2.104).

But in J.P. Upadhayaya’s research work, the knives have

been divided into two categories, those having pointed tip and

other rounded tips. In the same way the knives were divided into

two categories on the base of length e.g. short knives and long

knives. Mostly knives are short in length and triangular in shape.

The cutting edge is concave, straight or convex. The tang in both

categories is often pointed small and rarely blunt. Different

information regarding knives is tabulated here below. Most of these

specimens are made of metal sheet and are not cast.

Plate 2.103. Copper Knives (Kalibangan) Plate 2.104. Copper Knives (Mohenjodaro)

108

S. No.

Site No. Type Metal Measurement Leanth × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Ratio Shape and Cross section

Edge

1. Mohenjodaro 1 Long Bronze 14.00×7.00× 0.20 2.0 : 1 Triangular and Flat

RES

2. Mohenjodaro 10 Long Copper 23.00-10.16× 2.40×5.50 0.20×0.56 (T)

2.42-5.75:1

7 Triangular and other rectangular

LES

3. Harappa 1 Long Copper 25.40×6.13×? 4.41:1 Flat & Triangular

RES

4. Harappa 1 Long Copper 20.70×4.31 4.80:1 Flat Triangular RES 5. Mohenjodaro 10 Short Copper 5.90-9.80 × 0.80-

3.20 0.20×0.50 (T)

2.42-10.25:1

Rectangular and Triangular

RES

6. Mohenjodaro 1 Short Bronze 8.12×1.90×0.17 4.27:1 Flat Triangular RES 7. Harappa 4 Short Copper 4.57-8.38 × 0.99-

1.78 ×? 3.56-8.46:1

Triangular RES

8. Chanhudaro 7 Short Copper/ Bronze

5.94-9.65 × 1.21 – 2.81 0.17-0.76 (T)

3.20-6.19 : 1

Triangular and flat

RES

9. Rangpur I Short Copper 9.00×2.60×0.20 3.46:1 Triangular RES 10. Rangpur 2 Short Copper 7.40×3.40×0.40 — Triangular RES 11. Nal I Long Copper 24.00 × 3.0 × 2 mm 8.0:1 Triangular

(Pl.2.105) RES

RES = Right Edge Sharp LES = Left Edge Sharp

Plate 2.105. Copper knife from Nal

Knives found at Dholavira are pointed and triangular shaped

made of copper. Nal knife is very sharp and with handle of metal.

Two revite shaft or bolts are fitted in handle probably. It was

jointed point of wooden handle.226

The Harappans used the knife for cutting purpose material

like vegetable, meat, leather and other soft and for hard things

special long and sharp knife was used in war and fight for killing

to enemy.

B. Bone Knife

Some bone knives are found from various Harappan sites e.g.

Baror, Bagasara, Balu,227 Banawali, Farmana,228 Kotala Nihang

Khan,229 Dhalewan230 etc. It is used for cutting soft things like

vegetable and fruits. These knives are made of animal’s bone by

Harappan crafts men.

109

S. No.

Site Type Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Ratio Edge and Section

References

1. Banawali Long 12.0×2.0cm×2mm 6.0:1 Triangular shape, Biconvex (Pl.2.106.3)

2. Banawali Short 7.0×1.50cm×2mm 4.66:1 Triangular and pointed (Pl.2.106.1)

3. Banawali Short 7.0×1.50cm×2mm 4.66:1 Leaf shaped tip, broken part (Pl.2.106.2)

Haryana Archaeology Museum, Panchkula

4. Dhalewan Short 7.80×1.30 cm 6 : 1 Triangular tip, broken thin section (Pl.2.107.1)

Madhu Bala, Vishanu Kant (2009),

Excavation and Dhalewan, (1999-2000), p-I, p. 421.

5. Kotla Nihang Khan

Short 52mm×5-10mm × 2mm

— Leaf shaped, broken

Ropar Archaeological Museum, Punjab.

6. Balu Long 12×2cm×2 mm — Triangular Sharp Edge (Pl.2.108)

A.I.H. Cul. & Archaeology

Museum, KUK.

Plate 2.106. Bone Knives (Banawali) Plate 2.107. 1. Bone Knife 2. Ivory Knife (Dhalewan)

Plate 2.108. Bone knife from Balu

Around fifteen knives have been found at Farmana,

thickness of these knives is 0.12 cm to 0.29 cm. Although their

complete shapes are uncertain as there are no complete

examples.231

110

Three ivory knife reported from Dhalewan, a knife measures

5.1 cm length and 2.50 cm breadth, fragment, having a sharp edge

on both side and curved tip (Pl.2.107.2). Other knives are pointed,

convex and biconvex edges (Pl.2.109).

Plate 2.109. Ivory Knives from Dhalewan

2. Needle

Needles mostly made of copper are discovered from many

Harappan sites, like Harappa,232 Mohenjodaro, Sutkagendor,

Kalibangan,233 Pabumath, Khirsara,234 Lothal, Balu,235

Tarkhanewala-Dera236 etc. Although most of these specimens have

eyes on proximal ends, it appears reasonably certain that they

were used for sewing garments, Leather things and for matting.237

We have classified those specimens of needles, the length of which

does not exceed 10.00 cm and which have prominent eyes at one

end and a sharp point at the other. Some details of needles are

available here:

S. No.

Site Metal Length (ext.)

Breadth (Dia,)

Thickness Cross-Section

1. Mohenjodaro Copper 4.95 (ext.) 0.38 0.12 Rectangular

2. Mohenjodaro Copper/ Bronze

4.59 1.27 — Round

3. Harappa Copper 8.63 0.33 0.43 Rectangular

4. Harappa Copper 5.58 0.52 — Round

5. Rangpur Copper 5.00 0.40 — Round (Not eyed)

6. Tarkhanewala- Dera Copper 2.50 — — Round (Eye Let)

7. Tarkhanewala- Dera Copper 5.50 — — Round (Eye let)

111

B. Bone Needles

Besides metal needles, Bone needles were found from

Harappan sites e.g. Mehrgarh (Pl.2.110) Harappa, Rakhigarhi,238

Kalibangan, Tarkhanewala-Dera239 etc. A fragment of needle

reported from Rakhigarhi, measures 1.0 cm in length and 0.5 cm

breadth, and is of black colour, rectangular in shape, on seeing

these needles it appears that these are made for sewing soft and

large things (Pl.2.111).

Plate 2.110. Bone Needles (Mehrgarh) Plate 2.111. Horn Needle (Rakhigarhi)

Few ivory needles are also found at Harappa. Harappan

women used needles in sewing garment, and other thing by putting

into thread.

3. Fish Hook

The Harappans have yielded a varity of copper or bronze fish

hooks. They have been found from Harappa, Mohenjodaro,240

Chanhudaro, Baror,241 Kalibangan (Pl.2.112), Tarkhanewala-Dera,

Lothal, Surkotada, Padri, Khirsara,242, Bagasara,243 Dholavira

(Pl.2.113), Banawali,244 Rakhigarhi,245 Bhirrana, Farmana, Balu,

Jiwanpur.246 A typical Harappan fish hook is made of a stout

copper or bronze wire which is turned backwards to form an eye at

the top end and curved in a semi-circle at the lower end. It is only

slightly turned so that a thread may be attached to it. They have a

single barb, and an eye at the end of the shank secured then to the

line. A single specimen reported from Harappa is neither having

112

loop nor barb and roughly resembles the Roman Letter ‘S’

(Pl.2.114). It reveals that the barbs are just like those found in

modern fish hooks. They were cut from a beaten sort of the metal.

Plate 2.112. Copper Fish Hook (Kalibangan) Plate 2.113. Copper Fish Hook (Dholavira)

Plate 2.114. Copper Fish Hook from Harappa

Mainly fish hooks have been cited into the table here.

S. No.

Site No. of Tool

Metal Length (cm)

Diameter (cm)

Ratio Nature of Working End

1. Mohenjodaro 11 Bronze and Copper

2.64-7.36 0.30-0.53 6.94-16.50 :1

All barbed

2. Harappa 1 Copper 4.44 0.50 13.05:1 Unbarbed 3. Chanhudaro 6 Bronze 1.09-4.75 0.20-0.38 7.26-

15.77:1 Mostly barbed

4. Rakhigarhi 1 Copper 2.50 cm 1.5 mm —(Pl.2.115)

L or J shaped, with barbed

5. Balu I Copper 4 cm 1.5 mm — Without barbed L or J shape

6. Banawali 1 Copper 3 cm 2.0 mm — with barbed 7. Banawali 2 Copper 3.50 3 mm —

(Pl.2.116) L shaped with barbed

8. Padri I Copper 14 cm — — Round shape rod barbed

113

Plate 2.115. Copper Fish from Rakhigarhi

Plate 2.116. Copper Fish Hook from Banawali

A copper fish hook reported from Dholavira has been

displayed at National Museum, New Delhi. It is ‘L’ shaped, sharp

pointed with barbed and loop on top for attaching a thread. It is a

unique type of copper fish hook, which is 14 cm long with a barbed

point and a loop on the other end. It is round shaped and weighs

145 g. The loop on the other end of the fish hook does not touch

the shaft. Such a large fish hook would probably be used to catch

large marine fish, weighing more than 50 kg, which lead us to

believe that the harappans of Padri had mastered the technique of

deep sea fishing. The Indus valley fish hook, are similar to the

modern ones and this feature is suggestive of a continuity of this

cultural trait. The best metallic fish hooks were probably developed

by the Harappan and were certainly superior to those from

contemporary sites in Egypt and Mesopotamia.247

4. Razor

Mostly copper and rarely bronze made razors were found at

different Harappan sites like Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro,

Nausharo,248 Lohumjodaro, Kalibangan, Bagasara, Lothal, Ropar

(Pl.2.117),249 Banawali250 etc. They are of various shapes like

114

double-blade, L-shaped, hook shaped, simple-blade, U-shaped or

crescent- shaped. The most distinctive type, found at all levels, is

the double blade one, which has a thin section and oval tang with

unequal sides. The L-shaped variety has one arm longer and

broader than the other. The hook-shaped one has a sharp edge at

the straight end, the outer curve being edged to handle the joints

and the inner side blunt with bird-headed handles. Simple blades

with a rounded corner, edge at the square-cut end, convex side,

generally with a rough end, come from the mid-level of the

Harappan culture.

Plate 2.117. Copper Razors (Ropar) Plate 2.118. Copper Razor (Harappa)

Some details of razors are given in the following table:

S. No.

Site Metal Measurement Length × Breadth

(cm)

Edge and Section Reference

1. Harappa Bronze 6.35 cm × ? (ext.) Rounded Tang, broken

2. Harappa Copper/ Bronze

9.9 × ? (ext.) Rectanguler

Vats. M.S. (1974), Excavation at Harappa, p. 389.

3. Mohenjodaro Copper or Bronze

5.58×2.66 (wide) Curved edge two hole for handle

4. Mohenjodaro Bronze 6.04 × ? Rectangular, round edge

Marshal John (1973), Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization, p. 500.

5. Chanhudaro Copper or Bronze

7.11 × 6.85 cm L Shaped Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), Chanhudaro Excavation, 1935-36, p. 182.

6. Harrapa Copper or Bronze

1.8 × 4.5 × 1 mm Curved shape (Pl.2.118)

Displayed at National Museum, New Delhi.

Chanhudaro is the richest Harappan site where are found all

type of razors. Razor blades are very thin and paper like and the

tangs which are oval in section are not very much thicker. It has

115

been noticed that the two blades of a razor are not of same shape,

probably each side has its own purpose. They were roughly cut out

of sheet metal and the blades subsequently spread by means of a

hammer before being finally trimmed into shape. None of these

razors is very large, the biggest that we have found being only 5.08

cm across the blade. It seems unlikely that they were set in

handles, for in the better pre-served specimens the metal tang,

thin as it is, would suffice for holding blades as light as these.251

Razors reported from Lothal are curved, triangular and ‘L’

shaped blades. Two copper razors discovered at Ropar are both

curved and sharp edged.252 Harappan people used the razors for

cutting hair and shaving.

5. Blade

Blades are continously been used by human beings since the

stone age. It is a common tool which was used by the Harappans.

A large number of stone blades like chert, have been reported from

the Harappan sites like, Harappa, Kotdiji, Nausharo, Mehrgarh253

(Pakistan), Lothal, Khirsara, Rangpur, Dholavira (Pl.2.119),

Surkotada,254 Desalpur, Padri (Gujarat), Tarkhenewala-Dera,

Kalibangan (Pl.2.120) (Rajasthan), Ropar,255 Rohira, Dhermajara,

Kotla Nihang Khan, 256 Dhalewan257 (Punjab), Banawali,258

Bhirrana, Rakhigarhi, Badli, Farmana,259 Dhani, Kheri Meham,

Dhingana,260 Mitathal, Kunal, Pauli, Siswal (Haryana) (Pl.2.121)

etc. Harappan people mined the raw material from Sukur-Rohiri

hill261 in Sindh.

Plate 2.119. Chert Blade (Dholavira) Plate 2.120. Chert Blades (Kalibangan)

116

Plate 2.121. Chert Blades. 1 Dhani. 2 Kheri Meham. 3,5 Farmana – 1. 4 Dhingana-1. 6

Talwara. 7 Rakhigarhi. 8 Kharar Alipur.

The measurements of stone blade are given :

S. No.

Site No. Material Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Edge and Section

Reference

1. Tarkhenewala-Dera

29 Chert 2.5-7.50×0.50-0.90

Leaf shaped, Rectangular, Biconvex with one and two mid-rib (Pl.2.122)

Trivedi, P.K. (2009), p. 76-77.

2. Rakhigarhi 29 Chert 2.5-8.50 × 0.50-2.50

Leaf Shaped, Rectangular, Triangular with double and single mid-rib, Raddish colour, One black colour. (Pl.2.123)

Jayanti Archaeological Museum, Jind

3. Balu 4 Chert 6.3-8.7×1.5-3.2 (B)

3 mm – 1cm thick

Rectangular and leaf shaped with slide mid-rib (Pl.2.124)

Archaeological Museum, Dept. A.I.H.Cul. Archaeology. K.U.K.

4. Banawali 6 Chert 3.9-8.6×1.5-2.6×0.2-1.2 cm

Triangular, Leaf shaped, rectangular, single and double mid-rib biconvex (Pl.2.125)

Haryana Arcaheological Museum, Panchkula

5. Kunal 2 Chert 3.5-5.0×1.5×0.3 cm

Rectangular Single mid-rib (Pl.2.126)

Shree Krishna Museum, Kurukshetra

6. Dhalewan 12 Chert 1.34-8.40×1.19-2.43× 0.39 –

0.81 cm

Triangular, Rectangular mostly broken Parallel shape

Madhu Bala, Vishanu Kant (2009), pp. 415-16.

117

Plano-convex biconvex, cream colour (Pl.2.127)

7. Ropar 5 Chert 4.3-6.3×1.0-1.3×0.3-0.4

Rectangular single and double mid-rib. Cream colour (Pl.2.128)

8. Ropar 7 Chalcedony 1.8-2.6×0.7-1.1×0.2-0.4

Pointed, Rectangular with single mid-rib whitish colour


8 Chert 1.8-4.6×0.4-1.1×0.1-0.4

Pointed and Rectangular single and double mid-rib

Ropar Archaeological Museum, Punjab.

10. Baror 22 Chert 2.22-7.22×0.55-2.77

Triangular shaped edge and rectangular double and single mid-rib, Biconvex, a Plano convex

Puratattva No. 35, PL. 3.

11. Bhirrana 21 Chert 2.80-9.20×0.80-1.60 cm

(Pl.2.129)

Mostly leaf shape edge, rectangular, single and double mid-rib

Puratattva No. 36, PL. 8

12. Farmana 26 Chert 0.83-7.89×1.87-0.72

Triangular edge rectangular and parallel blade single and mid-rib grey-colour

Shinde, Vasant, Toshiki, Osada, Manmohan Kumar, (2011), p. 478-79.

Plate 2.122. Chert Blades (Tarkhanewala Dera) Plate 2.123. Chert Blades (Rakhigarhi)

118

Plate 2.124. Chert Blades (Balu) Plate 2.125. Chert Blades (Banawali)

Plate 2.126. 1,3 Chert Blades. Plate 2.127. Chert Blades (Dhalewan)

2,4-6 Chalcedony Blades (Kunal)

Plate 2.128. Chert Blades (Ropar) Plate 2.129. 1-10 Chert Blades. 11 Core (Bhirrana) Some chert blades have been found at the Harappan sites

like Dhani, Kheri Meham, Dhingana, Rakhigarhi, Kharar Alipur,

Farmana, Mitathal, Kunal, Balu, Pauli, Siswal, Lakhmirwala,

Narenderpura, Bhirrana in Haryana. They measure around 2.54-

119

10.72 cm length, 0.63-2.68 cm breadth and 0.21-0.96 cm

thickness. All the chert blades are made of Rohiri hill’s raw

materials. They are mostly of brown colour and rarely grey

coloured, parallel shaped, biconvex edge and one ride sickle blade,

single and double mid-rib.262 A bone blade was also discovered

from Balu.263 Four chalcedony Blades found from Kunal have

displayed at Shree Krishana museum, Kurukshetra. One is pointed

and others are rectangular. (Pl.2.126.2,4-6)

B. Copper Blade

The Harappans also used metal blade, found at Kotdiji,

Baliali and Mitathal Harappan site. A copper blade was reported

from Baliali, measuring 5.04 cm length and 0.10 cm thick.264

(Pl.2.130)

Plate 2.130. Copper Blade From Baliali –2

A bone made of blade was discovered at Balu the harappan

site. All the chert blades were used for cutting scrapping,

engraving and other multi-purpose.

6. Hook

Some hooks like a fish hook are also discovered from

Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Allahadino,265 Tarkhanewala-Dera,

Kalibangan (Pl.2.131), Bagasra, Surkotada, Farmana,266 Rakhigarhi,

Kharar Alipur,267 Balu (Pl.2.132) etc. These are made of copper,

bronze or lead. The shapes of these hooks appear that they were

used not for fishing but for hanging articles, specially in kitchen,

as suggested by Mackey. These hooks made of round bar, are

pointed at both ends.

120

Plate 2.131. Copper Hook (Kalibangan) Plate 2.132. Copper Hook (Balu)

The shape, cross section and other parameters are noted in

the following table.268

S. No.

Site Metal Length (cm)

Breadth (cm)

Shape Cross Section Nature of Point

1. Mohenjodaro Copper 9.65 0.53 ‘S’ Round Both ends pointed

2. Mohenjodaro Copper 4.57 1.57 ‘L’ Rectangular One end sharp other Blunt

3. Mohenjodaro Bronze 13.71 8.12 ‘L’ Rectangular As Above 4. Mohenjodaro Lead 5.84 0.50 ‘S’ Round Both ends

pointed 5. Harappa Copper 5.08 0.88 ‘S’ Round Both ends

pointed 6. Rakhigarhi Copper 1.50 0.50 ‘L’ Round One end

pointed 7. Farmana Copper 3.64 0.52 ‘U’ Round Both blunt 8. Kharar

Alipur Copper 1.91

(width) 0.01 cm — Round Two holes of

fix a wooden handle.

A bronze hook reported from Mohenjodaro was initially

thought to be elephant-goad, although Mackey writes: “I am now

sure that it is too much small to have been used for that purpose,

however perfect it may have been is very similar in shape to the

goad in use in India at the present day.269

7. Point

A large number of points are found from numerous

Harappan sites; made of copper, bone and stone etc. Rarely points

made of copper were reported from Bagasara, Balu,270 Farmana

121

etc. and mostly bone points are unearthed from Baror, Nagwada,

Balu, Bhirrana, Banawali,271 Rakhigarhi, Badli, Farmana, Ropar,

Kotla Nihang Khan, Dhalewan.272 Besides these materials, stone

points are found from Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi,273 Dhalewan etc. It

seems possible that they were used for making object for sewing or

other delicate work and for hunting also. Probably Harappan

projectiles like arrows were used for killing birds and others

animals of soft body.

S. No.

Site No. Material Length × Diameter

(cm)

Colour Edge Reference

1. Rakhigarhi 5 Bone 3.50-11.50 × 0.60-1.20 cm

3 red, 2 white, 1

black

Sharp pointed and double pointed (Pl.2.133)

(Courtesy) Jayanti Archaeological Museum, Jind

2. Balu 7 Bone 3.0-12.0 × 0.3-0.7 cm

Redish, Black

Sharp Pointed (Pl.2.134)

(Courtesy) A.I.H. Cul. & Archaeological Museum KUK

3. Banawali 5 Bone 4.0-7.5 × 0.5-07 cm

Redish, white

Round and Sharp (Pl.2.135)

(Courtesy) Haryana Archaeological Museum, PKL

4. Dhalewan 4 Bone 1.70-3.28 × 0.5-0.6

Black, white

Sharp and Round (Pl.2.136)

Madhu Bala (2009), p. 421.

5. Ropar 7 Bone 3.6-9.2 × 1-3.4-10 mm

Black cream and

white colour

Sharp and round (Pl.2.137)

(Courtesy) Ropar Archaeological Musuem, Punjab


12 Bone 3.8-9.5 × 0.2-0.7 cm

Blackish (Pl.2.138)

Sharp round some broken

(Courtesy) Ropar Musuem, Punjab

7. Farmana 1 Copper 4.50-5.30×0.2- 0.3 cm

— Pointed V. Shinde, T. Osada, M. Kumar (2011), Excavation at Farmana, 2006-08, p. 511

8. Bara 8 Bone 37-86 mm x 3-10

Creamish Pointed Desplayed at Aracheological Museum Ropar.

9. Dhalewan 2 Bone 6.5-9.5x0.8 Blackish Double pointed

Madu Bala (2009) p. 421

122

Plate 2.133. Bone points from Rakhigarhi Plate 2.134. Bone Points (Balu)

Plate 2.135. Bone Points (Banawali) Plate 2.136. Bone Points (Dhalewan)

Plate 2.137. Bone Points from Ropar

Plate 2.138. Bone Points from Kotla Nihang Khan

123

Numerous bone points have been tracked down from

Rakhigarhi. These are pointed, rounded and polished. (Pl.2.139)

Plate 2.139. Bone Points from Rakhigarhi

8. Scrapper:

It is the tool rarely used by the Harappans for scrapping soft

meterials. Copper scrapper is unique in this civilization. Banawali

scrapper was made of bone and the one from Dhalewan is also

made of bone.

Besides above tools, numerous wires, pins, rods of metal and

core and flacking stone tools (Pl.2.140) are found from the

Harappan sites.

Plate 2.140. 1 Chalcedony Point, 2 Core, 3 Chalcedony Borer, 4 Chert Core, 5-8 Chert

Blades, 9 Core of Quartzite (Explored by Dr. Sukhdev Saini From Harappan Sites in Haryana)

124

List of Household Implement in Mature Harappan Phase

1. Knife : (Copper) : Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro,

Lohumjodaro, Sutkagendor, Lothal, Rangpur, Surkotada,

Dholavira, Rojdi (Parasu or knifes) Bagasara, Balu,

Rakhigarhi, Kalibangan, Nagwada.

Knife : (Bone) : Bagasara, Baror, Kotla Nihang Khan,

Farmana, Banawali, Balu.

2. Needle : (Copper and Bronze) : Harappa, Mohenjodaro,

Sutkagendor, Tarkhanewala-Dera, Kalibangan, Pabumath,

Lothal, Balu, Rakhigarhi.

Needle : (Bone) : Harappa, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi,

Tarkhanewala-Dera.

Needle : (Horn) : Rakhigarhi.

3. Fish Hook : (Copper or Bronze) : Harappa, Mohenjodaro,

Chanhudaro, Baror, Kalibangan, Tarkhanewala-Dera, Lothal,

Surkotada, Dholavira, Padri, Bagasara, Bhirrana, Banawali,

Rakhigarhi, Jiwanpur, Balu.

4. Razor : (Copper or Bronze) : Harappa, Mohenjodaro,

Chanhudaro, Nausharo, Lohumjodaro, Kalibangan, Ropar,

Bagasara, Banawali.

5. Blade : (Copper) : Kotdiji, Baliali, Balu, Mitathal.

Blade : (Chert or Chalcedony) : Harappa, Kotdiji, Mehrgarh,

Nausharo, Kotla Nihang Khan, Dhalewan, Ropar, Rohira,

Dher-Majra, Tarkhenewala-Dera, Kalibangan, Desalpur,

Surkotada, Rangpur, Lothal, Balu, Bhirrana, Banawali,

Rakhigarhi, Farmana, Badli, Dhani, Kheri Meham, Mitathal,

Siswal etc.

6. Hook : (Copper or Bronze) : Harappa, Mohenjodaro,

Allahadino, Kalibangan, Tarkhanewala-Dera, Bagasara,

Surkotda, Balu, Farmana, Kharar Alipur.

7. Point : (Copper) : Mohenjodaro, Bagasara, Nagwada,

Farmana.

125

Bone Point : Baror, Balu, Bhirrana, Banawali, Rakhigarhi,

Badli, Farmana, Ropar, Kotla Nihang Khan, Dhalewan.

Chert Point : Kalibangan, Dhalewan, Rakhigarhi.

8. Scrapper : Banawali (Bone), Dhalewan (Ivory), Harappa

(Copper).

LIST OF MATURE HARAPPAN WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS

AFGANISHTAN

Mundigak : Axe, Adze, Chisel, Awl (Bone)

Sutkagendor : Chert, Arrowheads, Celt, Knife, Needles

PAKISTAN

Harappa : Arrowheads (Copper or Bronze and Chert), Dagger,

Dagger-knife, Parasu, Double Axes, Spearheads, Lance heads,

Mace head (Copper and stone), Missiles, Axe, Socket axe, Sickle,

Hoe, Adze, Chisel, Saw, Awl or Reamer (Bone and Copper), Drill,

Chopper, Spindle Whorls, Plumb-bob, Gouges, Knives, Needles,

Fish Hooks, Razors, Blade, Hook, Scrapper.

Mohenjodaro : Arrowheads, Dagger, Parasu, Double Axe,

Spearheads, Lance head, Mace head (Stone), Swords, Missles,

Shield Fregment, Axe, Sickle, Seed drill, Hoe, Axe with Indus

script, Plough share, Adze, Chisel, Saw, Awl or Reamer (Bone or

Copper), Drill, Spindle Whorls, Plumb-bob, Hammer, Knives,

Needles, Fish hook, Razors and Hook.

Mehrgarh : Arrowheads, Sickle, Chisel, Drill, Blade

Kotdiji : Arrowheads, Axe, Chisels, Blade, Point.

Chanhudaro : Arrowheads, Dagger, Spearhead, Lance heads,

Missile, Axe, Socket Axe, Sickle, Adze, Chisel, Saw, Awl, Reamer

Tubular, Drill, Shovel, Bead Tools, Spindle Whorls, Plumb-bob,

Knife, Fish hook, Razor

Nal : Chisel.

Gumla : Chisel

Balakot : Arrowheads, Spearhead

Nausharo : Arrowheads, Chisel, Blade, Razor.

126

Allahadino : Spearhead, Axe, hook

Lohumjodaro : Arrowhead, Knife, Razor

Naruwarodharo : Arrowheads

RAJASTHAN

Kalibangan : Bone, Chert and Copper Arrowheads, Dagger,

Parasu, Spearheads (Copper and Bone), Missile, Axes, Celts, Chisel

(Copper and Stone), Saw (Copper or Bone), Awl, Drill, Burin,

Spindle Whorls, Plumb-bob, Knives, Needles, Fish hook, Razors,

Blade Hooks, Points.

Baror : Arrowheads, Spearhead, Missile, Chisel, Knife, Fishhook.

Tarkhanewala-Dera : Bone and Copper Arrowheads; Copper-

Spearheads, Chisels, Drill, Needles, Fish hook, Blade, Hook.

GUJARAT

Lothal : Copper - Arrowhead, Daggers, Axes, Needles, Chisels,

Saw, Awl or Reamer, Fish hooks, Knives, Drill, Plumb bob (Copper

stone), Chert blade, Stone axe, Hammer, Spindle Whorls (TC stone

and bone).

Dholavira : Copper - Arrowheads, Spearheads, Axes, Chisels,

Drills, Knives, Fish hooks, Stone Drills, Plumb-bob (Copper and

stone), Chert blade.

Surkotda : Copper – Arrowheads, Dagger, Spearheads, Socket Axe,

Axes, Chisels, Fish hooks, Knife, Drill, Spindle Whorls (Stone TC

and Bone), Chert blade, Missiles (TC and Stone).

Bagasara : Copper – Arrowheads, Spearheads, Chisels, Scissor,

Knives, Fish hooks, Razor, Hook, Points.

Desalpur : Copper – Arrowheads, Chert blade.

Pabumath : Copper – Arrowheads, Needles

Padri : Copper – Arrowheads, Fish hooks

Khirsara : Copper – Arrowheads and Chisels

Rojdi : Copper – Axe, Knives or Parasu

Nagwada : Copper – Axe, Chisels, Saw, Points.

Rangpur : Copper – Axe, Knives.

127

UTTAR PRADESH

Sanauli : Arrowheads, Antennae Swords, Spearhead,

Anthropomorph or arrowhead.

PUNJAB

Ropar : Copper and Bone Arrowheads, Spearhead, Missile, Celts,

Chisels, Razor, Blade, Points.

Rohira : Arrowhead, Chisel, Borer, Burin, Blade

Kotla Nihang Khan : Arrowheads (Wood and Copper), Missile,

Knife, Blade.

Dhalewan : Bone and copper Arrowheads, Missile, Awls (Ivory).

Brass : Axe, Points

Dher Majra : Blade, Points, Scrapper

HARYANA

Balu : Copper and Bone Arrowheads, Spearhead, Missiles, Axe,

Chisel, Knife, Needles, Fish hook, Blade of Copper, Hook, Chert

Blade.

Banawali : Chert and Copper Arrowheads, Dagger, Spearhead,

Sickle, Plough (Terracotta) Chisel, Awl or Reamer (Bone), Knives,

Fish Hook, Razor, Chert Blade, Scrapper, Double sprial and simple

pin.

Mitathal : Axe (Stone) Adze, Chisel (Copper), Chert and Copper

Blade (A Sickle Hook).

Bhirrana : Arrowheads, Spearhead, Celt, Chisel, Fish hook, Chert,

Blade.

Rakhigarhi : Bone, Horn and Copper Arrowheads. Spearhead, Axe,

Chisel, knife (Horn and Copper), Needle, Fish hook, Blade, Chert,

Bone points.

Kunal : V shaped Arrowheads, Spearhead, Missile, Flat Axe, Chert

Blade, Bone Points.

Farmana : Arrowheads, Dagger, Spearhead, Missile, Chisel, Knife,

Chert Blade, Hook, Bone points.

Jiwanpur : Arrowheads, Chisel, Fish hook

128

Kharar Alipur : Hook

Badli : Missile, Chert Blade

Baliali : Copper Blade

Dhani : Blade Chert

Girawar : Arrowhead, Chisel.

Kheri Meham : Blade

Surha : Arrowheads

Rindhana : Arrowhead, Spearhead

Sisai – II : Arrowhead

Manheru : Arrowhead

Lohat : Spearhead, Chert Blade

Pauli : Chisel

Siswal : Chert Blade

LATE HARAPPAN PHASE

The Harappan civilization started to decline around 2000

B.C. many factors are responsible for its decline like flood,

earthquake, Aryan invasion, climate change etc. The features of

decline of Harappan civilization can be described in different

aspects like in building constructions, brick size, encroachment of

buildings in street, decline in trade etc. during the late Harappan

phase. The material culture also became poor when the urban

fabric of a culture disintegrates with the decline of Indus

civilization. The sophisticated Harappan traits were watered down

by mingling with impoverished local culture. Until what was once

distinctively Harappan was diluted to the point of a culture appear

to be the outcome of economic decline which produces cultural

transformation and so changes the internal interaction of

society.274

During this phase the people used the weapons and

implements made of copper, Bronze, Stone and Bone etc. Late

Harappan people used a variety of tools for doing their work. As

compared to weapons and implements of Harappa, quantity of

129

metal use in late Harappan culture was limited and no new tool-

type appeared. Late Harappan technology was not as good as

Harappan technology

Extent:

Numerous Late Harappan sites are reported in india, J & K ,

Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and

Maharashtra, in these states there are uncountable sites. There

are some sites from where many tools have been found in

excavation and exploration by Archaeologists. Banawali, Balu,

Daulatpur, Mirzapur, Raja Karan Ka Qila, Mitathal, Siswal,

Farmana, Bhagwanpura etc. in Haryana., Ropar, Bara, Kotla

Nihang Khan, Sanghol,275 Dadheri etc. in Punjab., Hulas,

Alamgirpur, Bargaon in Uttar Pradesh., Lothal, Rangpur,

Surkotda, Desalpur, Rojdi, Bagasara etc in Gujarat.,

1

23

45678

91011

1215

14131617

18

19

2021

22

23

1.3 Map Showing the Late Harappan Sites

MYANMAR

BAY

OF

BENGAL

SRI LANKA

19 Lothal

20 Rangpur

21 Rojdi

22 Bagasra

23 Daimabad

1 Chanhudaro

2 Ropar

3 Kotla NihangKhan

4 Kathpalon

5 Nagar

6 Bara

7 Dadheri

8 Sanghol

9 Bhagwanpura

10 Daulatpur

11 Mirzapur

12 Jognakhera

13 Banawali

14 Balu

15 Farmana

16 Bargoan

17 Hulas

18 Alamgirpur

In Maharashtra, Daimabad is an interesting Late Harappan site

where a large number of bronze figurine and a few tools are

reported. Coppersmiths of Daimabad were perfect in their skill and

Map 2.3 Showing the Late Harappan Sites

130

technology.

Besides these Late Harappan sites many sites are also found

in different regions in northern India. In this research, only those

sites are mentioned where weapons and Implements have been

found. A large number of sites have been destroyed by farmers

during agricultural activities.

Chronology

It is very difficult to find out date of Late Harappan culture

in India .Once the mature Harappan started fading out in 1900

BC. Joshi remarks about the shapes of Potteries of Late Harappan

ceramics assemblage available at Bara, Siswal II B, Mitathal II B,

Daulatpur, Raja Karan Ka Qila etc. The excavator sent 18 samples

from the sites for scientific dating by thermoluminescence (TL)

method at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay.276

Some dates of Late Harappan sites mentioned there on TL

Banawali -1700-1400 BC, Mitathal II B 1700-1500 BC, Balu 2000-

1700BC, Daulatpur 1700-1500 BC, Mirzapur 1700-1500 BC,

Alamgirpur 1900-1700 BC, Hulas 2000-1000 BC, Bargaon 1900-

1700 BC, Sanghol 1900-1500.

Radiocarbon dating (5730 yrs half life) reveals 1900BC-

1400BC as period of the late Harappan culture, Daimabad 1900-

1420 BC, Prabhas Patan 1400 BC.277 Some Late Harappan sites

overlap with P.G.W. Bhagwanpura Late Harappan phase 1700-

1300 BC overlapping phase 1400-1000 BC, Dadheri 1700-1000

BC, Katpalon 1400 BC-1000BC, Nager 1400 BC -1000 BC.From

the above mentioned data it is clear that the starting phase of late

Harappan period was from 1900 BC and purely Late Harappan was

from 1700BC to 1500/1400 BC. But some sites overlap Late

Harappan with PGW dates from 1700 BC to 1000 BC.

A. WEAPONS FOR WAR AND HUNTING

Many types of weapons made up of copper, stone and bone

and rarely of bronze have been found from the excavated sites of

131

Late Harappan. The weapons have been reported from Mirzapur,

Raja Karan Ka Qila, Daulatpur, Bhagwanpura, Balu, 278 Mitathal,

Kheri Meham, Baliana, Farmana etc. in Haryana., Sanghol, Ropar,

Kotla Nihang Khan, Bara etc. in Punjab., Lothal, Rojdi etc in

Gujarat., Daimabad in Maharashtra.

These weapons are like spearheads, arrowheads, parasu,

harpoon, macehead, daggers, sling balls. These weapons were used

in war, for hunting and for self protection. Late Harappan sites

were rural society in which people depended on agriculture and

hunting. The weapons show that the people of this period were

hunters, soldiers and successors for states.

Arrowheads

The arrowheads, found from Late Harappan sites, were rarely

made up of copper and bone. Arrowheads reported from Balu were

made up of copper and were triangular in shape and with pointed

tip. Daulatpur279 and Bhagwanpura (Late Harappan and PGW

overlapping) people used bone arrowheads for killing birds. Two

bone arrowheads found from Bhagwanpura one of length 6.9cm

and Second of 6.1cm, both are polished and circular section.280

(Pl.2.141)

Plate 2.141. Bone Arrowhead from Bhagwanpura

Spearhead

The villagers of Late Harappan culture used the copper

Spearheads reported from Mirzapur,281 Raja karan Ka Qila, and

Daimabad.282 Two spearheads found in Mirzapur excavation are

132

displayed at Department of Ancient Indian History Culture and

archaeology museum, K.U. Kurukshetra. One of them is 17cm in

length 4.20cm broad and 4.3mm in thickness, leaf shaped blade

with tang for the purpose of hafting of wooden stick (Pl.2.142.2).

Second spearhead is broken from half blade and tang. It is 4mm in

thickness 3.5cm broad, length (?) (Pl. 2.142.1), a complete

spearhead of copper without mid-rib was also found from Raja

Karan Ka Qila.283

Plate 2.142. Copper Spearheads (Mirzapur) Plate 2.143. Ivory dagger (Daultpur)

Dagger

Dagger was not found from any specific Late Harappan site,

only Bhagwanpura-I B (Late Harappan and P.G.W overlapping

phase) has reported a fragment of copper dagger, rectangular in

section. Length 6.3 cm.284 Toy type ivory dagger has been reported

from Daulatpur (Pl.2.143). A miniature dagger from Daimabad

made of rib bone of a large mammal with a concave side hilt

having a fan-shaped upper end surmounted by a small U-shaped

pinnacle like top on eithter side of the lower end of the hilt is a

large lower down are two circular holes on the blade and a pair of

horizontal incised lines. A small part of the right side margin at the

lower end is missing. The tip at the lower and is sharp and

pointed.285

133

Parasu

Some copper parasu founded from excavated late Harappan

sites as like Mirzapur, Sanghol286, Mitathal, Rojdi and Bagasara. A

fragmentary copper piece of parasu found from Mirzapur and

Sanghol parasu is double edges. A parasu reported from Bagasara

is not clear as a parasu or Razor. Parasu found from Mitathal is

like a chopper in shape. It is broken into three pieces. When joined

together, this weapon measured 15cm long. It has a straight back

and a concave cutting edge. At the middle it measures 2.2cm broad

while at the edges 3.5cm it weighs 64.05gm.287 (Pl.2.144) The

existence of khurdi (Nagaur) type of copper parasu found in the

Chalcolithic phase at Ahar and Mitathal II B is equally important.

It showed link between Late Harappan culture and Cholcolithic

cultures.

Plate 2.144. Copper Parasu from Mitathal

Harpoon (Pl.2.145)

A copper harpoon was found from Mitathal, moulded variety

with a medial rib, and diamond section, curved barbs and a hole at

the tang to tie a wooden stick. It was recovered from unstratified

level. Some scholars suggest that it may be related to the copper

hoard. The occurence of this copper harpoon is very interesting

and may indicate a link with the Ganeshwara culture in Rajasthan

as well as the copper hoards in the Ganga- Yamuna doab region.

134

Plate 2.145. Copper Harpoon from Mitathal

Macehead

A copper macehead found from the Late Harappan level of

Chanhudaro deserves mention here as it resembles the maceheads

from mohenjodaro and Harappa.288 Similar macehaeds are found

in copper or bronze in the 1400 BC Levels of Luristan site in Iran.

Sling Ball

Spherical missile of stone and terracotta sling ball were

thrown by the complicated techniques of releasing by means of

sling, Double-stringed bow or catapults or simply by hand.

Excavations give the evidence that Late Harappans used sling ball

in hunting and killing the birds. A large number of sling balls are

found that belonged to this period. Reported sites of Late

Harappan culture like Ropar, Sanghol, Bara, Kotla Nihang Khan,

Mitathal, Seonser, Kheri Meham, Surmi (Pl.2.146) Baliana,

Mungan, Farmana, Khanda kheri etc. had reported many

terracotta sling ball.289 Four sling balls recovered from Farmana-1,

length 7.2-10.03cm and 4.0-6.2cm diameter, oval shaped, greyish

coloured and light mark with two finger impressions on rides290

these are found from Kheri Meham which made up of sandstone

redish in colour, spherical, measuring 2.78cm Diameter. Mitathal

sling balls are of terracotta and stone.

Plate 2.146. 1 Stone Ball from Surmi. 2. Stone Ball from Seonser.

3. Stone ball from Kheri Meham

135

List of Late Harappan culture’s weapons

Arrowhead: Balu (copper), Bhagwanpura, Daulatpur (bone)

Spearhead: Mirzapur, Raja Karan Ka Qila (copper), Daimabad

(Bone)

Parasu: Mirzapur, Sanghol, Mitathal, Rojdi, Bagasara

(Parasu/Razor) (Copper)

Sling ball: Ropar, Sanghol, Bara, Kotla Nihang Khan, Mitathal,

Kheri Meham, Baliana, Mungan, Farmana (stone & terracotta)

Harpoon: Mitathal (copper) Copper hoard type.

Macehead: Chanhudaro (copper or bronze)

Dagger: Bhagwanpura (copper), Daulatpur (ivory), Daimabad

(bone)


Late Harappan farmers used agricultural implements like

axe, celt, bar celt etc. for agricultural practices like clearing the

forest, tilling the land and crop harvesting. So many implements of

this type have been found from the excavated sites.

Axe

These implements are not reported in large number, five

copper or bronze axes occurred into excavation at Rojdi, these are

flat, four completed and one broken. A fragment of an axe was

found from Daimabad.291

Celt

The implement is a protohistoric type of stone or metal with

beveled cutting edges, probably used in agriculture. Excavators

discovered a number of celt into Late Harappan sites like Ropar,

Sanghol in Punjab, Mitathal in Haryana (Pl.2.147). Lothal,

Rangpur, Rojdi, Bagasara in Gujarat, Daimabad in Maharashtra. A

copper celt reported from Ropar is rectangular in shape. Some

copper celts have been found from Sanghol292, Lothal, Rojdi293

which have similar rectangular shape and splayed toward one edge

i.e cutting edge. A copper piece of celt reported from Daimabad is

136

probably rectangular. Wooden shaft was fitted into celt, the Late

Harappan used this for agricultural purpose. Mitathal celt is with

a square butt which is partially damaged. The cutting edge is

slightly broader than the butt end. It is greatly splayed out and

beveled at the cutting edges. It is 8cm long 5.3 cm broad at the

cutting edge and 4.2cm at the butt end. It is thickest at the butt

end measuring 1cm and weighs 118g.294

Plate 2.147. Copper Celt from Mitathal

Bar celt or Chisel

A copper bar celt discovered from Rojdi shows that farmers

used it for digging purpose.295

List of Agricultural Implements from Late Harappan Sites

Axe : Copper – Rojdi, Daimabad.

Celt : Copper – Ropar, Sanghol, Daimabad, Siswal, Mitathal, Rojdi,

Bagasara, Bargaon, Rangpur.

Bronze – Kotla Nihang Khan

Bar Celt or Chisel : Copper– Rojdi

C. IMPLEMENTS OF VARIOUS CRAFTS

Late Harappan culture is particularly known for its various

types of craft. Excavator reported a few type of material which can

be studied on the basis of implements like chisel, awl, drill bit and

borer. We get knowledge of their occupation like carpenter,

137

coppersmith, cobbler etc. from their tools.

Chisel

A Number of chisels made up of copper and bronze (rarely) in

different types of shapes have been found at the late Harappan

sites. These are made up of a metal bar of which one end is

beveled to one or more sharp edges and other is left blunt for being

struck with a hammer. Important sites of Late Harappan from

where some copper chisel were found are Daulatpur, Bass-iv,

Bara, Dadheri, Sanghol296, Desalpur, Hulas, Rojdi, Bagasara,

Daimabad. Mostly chisels are rectangular in shape. Two copper

chisels have been found from Sanghol.They are of rectangular

cross section and with slightly splayed edge and grinded. One

chisel has been measuring 108 mm leangth, 8 mm breadth and 3

mm thickness. Second chisel has been measuring 115 mm length,

11 mm breadth and 5 mm thickness. These are displayed at

Archaeological Museum Sanghol in Punjab. A chisel reported from

Bara is rectangular, cutting edge is splayed 8.5 mm long 8 mm

broad and 2mm thick.297 Fragment of a chisel, measuring 6 × 0.44

× 0.62 cm, rectangular in section found from Theh Bir in

Kurukshetra district. (Dangi, Vivek 2010 : 357). A beautiful chisel

has been unearthed from Sanghol. It is rectangular in section and

its working edge is nicely prepared.298 The late Harappans used

these chisels for cutting, engraving and for carpentry purpose.

Awl

A few awls identified in excavation of Late Harappan sites are

like Bhagwanpura299 and Lothal. Bhagwanpura awls are made up

of bone, shape is round and pointed tip (Pl.2.148). Lothal awls are

made up of Copper, round shaped and triangular shaped and

sharp tip. It were used in making hole in various crafts.

138

Plate 2.148. Copper Awl from Bhagwanpura

Borer

A round shaped section length 5.07cm copper borer found at

Bhagwanpura from a late level of sub-period-1B. It is related to

Late Harappan and P.G.W people.300 It was used in various crafts

for making holes into hard things.

Hammer

Two quartzite hammers reported from Mitathal period II A &

II B. These are blunt at both ends and show no signs of working.

However, it shows some abrasive marks on side and battering

marks on the end indicating that it was used as a Hammer.301

Craftsman used it for sticking in making process of various types

of things.

LIST OF VARIOUS CRAFT IMPLEMENTS

Chisel: Daulatpur, Bass, Bara, Dadheri, Sanghol, Rojdi, Desalpur,

Bagasara, Hulas, Daimabad

Awl: Bhagwanpura (Bone), Lothal (Copper)

Borer: Bhagwanpura (Copper)

Hammer: Mitathal (Quartzite Stone)


Some Implements found from various late Harappan sites are

used in daily life. These implements are include knife, needle,

fishhook, razor, bone point, blade, hook etc.

139

Knife

Late Harappan knives are simple type a thin blade and

pointed tip, the cutting edges having curved side and back slightly

thickened. Some copper knives were found from Daimabad302,

Lothal, Rojdi, Bagasara and Rangpur. A knife of bone blade

reported from Bhagwanpura is of length 5.80cm and 1.10cm

breadth, blackish in colour and pointed,303 (Pl.2.149) these types of

knives were used in kitchen.

Plate 2.149. Bone Knife from Bhagwanpura

Needle

Round and oblong pins of various sizes with one end pointed

and the other thick and perforated are mainly used for stitching

and knitting. In Late Harappan phase these are a few numbers and

made up of copper and bone. Mirzapur has a few needles of

copper, which are pointed and thin and round section. Bone

needles have been recovered from Chandigarh304 and

Bhagwanpura.305

Details of Bhagwanpura Needles (Late Harappan + PGW) :

S.No. Implements Material Length Section 1 Needle Bone 14.5cm Circular incised line

divided toward top 2 Needle Bone 6.1 cm Round section 3 Needle Bone 4.7cm Fragmented incised line

on it and round pointed

Fish hook:

Late Harappans did fishing with the help of copper fish hook.

The different types of copper fish hooks have been found from

various sites like Bara306, Bagasara, Samlo Kalan, Daulatpur307,

Rindhana, Farmana. A copper broken fish hook at Farmana is flat

in section and barbed.

140

S.No. Implements Site Material Measurement Length × Breadth ×

Thickness (cm)

Section &Shape

Reference

1 Fish hook Daulatpur Copper 1.6 cm × 1.4 cm × 3 mm

Round section and J shaped

(Pl.2.150)

Displayed at archaeological museum, dept. of A.I.H cul. & arch. K.U.K.

2 Fish hook Bara Copper 48 mm × 25 mm × 1-4 dia

Full intact J shaped

Displayed at archaeological museum Ropar (Punjab)

3 Fish hook Bara Cooper 33 mm × 33 mm × 2-4 mm dia

Broken Displayed at archaeological museum Ropar

Plate 2.150. Copper Fish Hook from Daulatpur

Razor

Copper razors have been reported at the Late Harappan sites

like Mirzapur,308 Daulatpur,309 Jognakhera,310 Ropar, Bagasara

(parasu/razor), Daimabad. Mirzapur razor is 10cm in length, 2cm

broad and 1 mm thick with sharp and L shaped blade (Pl.2.151).

Hook shaped razor is reported at Jognakhera made by thin copper

sheet. Bagasara razor is not clear to decide that it is a razor or

parasu. It appears both parasu and razor.

141

Plate 2.151. Copper Razor from Mirzapur

Points

These types of implements were used in knitting, making

hole and throwing like an arrow for killing birds. These are made

up of bone and rarely of copper and have been found from

Daulatpur (Pl.2.152), Jognakhera, Bhagwanpura, Balu, Lakhan

Majra, Madina311, Karar Alipur, Dhanana-I, (Pl.2.153) Silani kesho,

Surha, Dawla, Madina etc. in Haryana, Ropar, Bara, Sanghol312

etc. in Punjab., Bagasara in Gujarat and Daimabad in

Maharashtra.

Plate 2.152. Bone Points (Daultpur) Plate 2.153. Bone Points 1. Kharar Alipur 2. Dhanana-1

Fourteen bone points found from Bhagwanpura have been

displayed at Thaneshwar museum Kurukshetra. Out of them, four

points are pointed on both sides, length size average 4.3cm to

142

6.50cm and thickness 0.5-0.7mm in diameter and are creamish in

colour. Ten bone points are one sided pointed average about 4.0

cm to 11.50cm in length and diameter 3mm to 7mm, sharp

pointed. Two points are blackish and eight points are creamish.313

(Pl.2.154)

Plate 2.154. Bone Points from Bhagwanpura (Late Harappan + PGW Overlapping Phase)

Eight bone points are displayed in Ropar museum, the

average size of length 36 to 81mm and 2-10mm diameter broken

into end, sharp pointed. One bone point is unique, perforated into

end for hafting, thrown as arrow.314 A copper point reported at

Bagasara is pointed and sharp.

Blade

Some blades have been found from Late Harappan sites.

These were used for cutting and scraping in kitchen and other

activities. Stone blades are available in Late Harappan site like

Ropar, Sanghol315, Kotla Nihang Khan, Balu, Banawali316, Kheri

Meham, Mitathal, Lothal, Rangpur, Bagasara, Prabhas Patan,

Bargaon, Daimabad. Blades are made up of chert, chalcedony,

Jesper. A microlithic Blade industry had been running at Prabhas

patan. Blades are sharp biconvex and pointed or triangular shape

rectangular blade also found there.

143

Hook

These types of Copper implements were used for hanging and

other purposes. A bronze hook reported at khataoli317 in Haryana

and a copper hook found from Dadheri is U-shaped besides these

copper implements a numerous pins, (Pl.2.155) rods are tracked

down from different late harappan sites.

Plate 2.155. Copper Pin from Bhagwanpura (Late Harappan + PGW Overlapping Phase)

Household Implements from Late Harappan sites

Razor: Copper- Mirzapur, Daulatpur, Jognakhera, Ropar,

Bagasara (razor/parasu)

Knife: Copper- Lothal, Rojdi, Desalpur, Bagasara, Rangpur,

Bhagwanpura (Bone)

Needle: Mirzapur (copper)., Bhagwanpura, Chandigarh (Bone)

Fish hook: Bara (bronze), Daulatpur, Samlo Kalan, Rindhana,

Farmana, Bagasara (copper)

Blade: Ropar, Kotla Nihang Khan, Banawali, Kheri Meham,

Mitathal, Lothal, Rangpur, Bargaon (stone), Bagasara

(copper)

Points: Ivory and bone – sanghol, bone – Daulatpur, Jognakhera,

Bhagwanpura, Mitathal, Balu, Lakhan Majra, Madina,

Ropar, Bara, Daimabad (bone), copper – Bagasara.

Hook: Dadheri (copper), Khataoli (bronze)

144

LIST OF LATE HARAPPAN WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS

PAKISTAN

Chanhudaro (Nawabshah, distt. Sindh): Macehead (copper or

Bronze)

PUNJAB

Ropar (Rupnagar distt.): copper- celt, Razor, chert blade, Bone

points, Sling ball (Stone and terracotta)

Bara (Rupnagar distt.): copper- chisel, fishhook, Bone points, Sling

ball (Stone and terracotta)

Sanghol (Ludhiana distt.): copper- Parasu, celt, chisel, chert

blade, bone and Ivory points terracotta, sling balls.

Kotla Nihang Khan (Rupnagar distt.): copper- celt, TC sling ball,

chert blade

Dadheri (Fatehgarh Sahib distt.): copper- chisel, hook

CHANDIGARH- Needles (bone)

HARYANA

Balu (Kaithal distt.): Copper Arrowheads, bone points

Banawali (Fatehabad distt.): Chert blade

Bhagwapura (Kurukshetra distt.): Copper- Dagger, Borer. Bone-

Arrowheads, Awl, Knife, Needles, points

Daulatpur (Kurukshetra distt.): Copper – chisel, Razor, fishhook,

Bone – Arrowhead, points. Ivory – Dagger

Mirzapur (Kurukshetra distt.): copper – Spearhead, Parasu, Razor,

Needles

Raja Karan Ka Qila (Kurukshetra distt.): Copper- Spearhead

Mitathal (Bhiwani distt.): Copper – Parasu, copper hoard type

Harpoon, celt. Sling ball (TC and Stone), Hammer (Stone), chert

blade, Bone points

Siswal (Hissar distt.): Copper celt

Farmana (Rohtak distt.): Copper- fishhook, Sling ball (TC and

Stone)

Kheri Meham (Rohtak distt.): TC Sling ball, chert blade

145

Samlo Kalan (Jind distt.): Copper fish hook

Bass (Hissar distt.): Copper chisel

Baliana (Rohtak distt.): TC Slingball

Jognakhera (Kurukshetra distt.): Copper Razor, Bone points

Mungan (Rohtak distt.): TC sling ball

Rindhana (Sonipat distt.): Copper Fish hook

Lakhan Majra (Rohtak distt.): Bone points

Madina (Rohtak distt.): Bone points

Khataoli (Gurgaon distt.): Bronze hook

UTTAR PRADESH

Bargaon (Saharanpur distt.): copper celt, chert blade

Hulas (Saharanpur distt.): copper chisel

GUJARAT

Lothal (Ahmedabad distt.): copper- celt, awl, knife, chert blade

Rangpur (Ahmedabad distt.): copper- celt, Knife, chert blades

Desalpur (Kutch distt.): copper- chisel, knife

Rojdi (Rajkot distt.): copper- parasu, axe, celt, bar celt, chisels,

knife

Bagasara (Amreli distt.): copper- Parasu/Razor, celt, chisels, razor,

fishhook, blade, points

MAHARASHTRA

Daimabad (Ahmadnagar distt.): copper- Axe, celt, chisel, Bone-

Spearhead, Dagger, points.

146

References :

1 Gupta, S.P. (1996), The Indus-Saraswati Civilization Origin, Problems

and Issues, p. 3

2 Rao, S.R. (1991) Dawn and Devolution of the Indus Civilization, p. 1

3 Gupta, S.P. (1996), op. cit., p. 3

4 Chakravarti, P.C. (1972), The Art of War in Ancient India, p. 150.

5 Upadhyaya, J.P. (2000), Metal Implements in Ancient India, pp. 13-19.

6 Agrawal, D.P. (1971), The Copper Bronze Age in India, p. 110.

7 Ibid., p. 111

8 Biswas, Arun Kumar (1996), Minerals and Metals in Ancient India, Vol. I,

p. 7

9 Ghosh, A. (1989), An Encyclopedia of Indian Archaeology, p. 76

10 Upadhayaya, J.P. (2000), op.cit., pp. 12-19

11 Gupta, S.P. (1996), op. cit., p. 24.

12 Rao, L.S. N.B. Sahu, P. Sahu, S. Diwan & U.A. Shastry, 'Bhirrana

Excavation-2005-06', Puratattva, No. 36, p. 47

13 Lal, B.B.; Thaper, B.K.; Joshi, J.P. and Madhubala (2003) Excavation at

Kalibangan the Early Harappans (1961-1969), pp. 228-29

14 IAR, 86-87, p. 32

15 IAR (1999-2000), pp. 31-32., Amrender Nath (1998-99) 'Further excavation at

Rakhigarhi,' Puratattva No. 29, p. 48

16 Khatri, J.S. and M. Acharya (1994-95), 'Kunal : A New Indus -Saraswati Site,'

Puratattva, No. 25, pp. 84-85

17 Information given by Amarender Nath (Excavator of Rakhigarhi), Puratattva

No. 29, p. 48; Puratattva No. 35, p.63, Plate 14

18 Biswas, Arun Kumar (1996), Minerals and Metals in Ancient India, p. 20

19 M.Acharya (2008), Kunal Excavation, p. 7

20 Amarendra Nath (1998-99), 'Further Excavation at Rakhigarhi,' Puratattva

No. 29, p. 48, plate No. 1

21 Allchin F.R. and Dilip.K. Chakravarti (1997), A Source Book of Indian

Archaeology, Vol. II, p. 120, 124.

22 IAR, 1976-77, p. 21

23 Kesarwani, Arun (2005), 'Prehistoric Punjab : A Re-assessment,' in Punjab

History Conference, p. 50

24 Agarwal, D.P. (1971), op.cit., p. 15

25 Hargreaves, H. (1929), 'Excavation in Baluchistan 1925, Sompur mound,

mustung and sohr Damb, Nal,' in Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey

of India, No. 35, p. 40

26 Lal, B.B., B.K. Thaper, J.P. Joshi and Madhu Bala (2003), Excavation at

Kalibangan the Early Harappan, p. 237.

27 Lal, B.B., (1979), Kalibangan and the Indus Proto-historic, in Agrawal D.P.

and D.K. Chakrabarti (Eds.), Essay in Indian Protohistory, p. 70

28 Agrawal, D.P. (2000), Ancient Metal Technology of South Asia, p. 61

29 IAR, (1991-92), p. 38

30 Collection of Haryana Archaeological and Museum Department, Panchkula.

31 Dangi, Vivek (2010), A Study of Proto-historic Settlement upper Ghaggar

Basin, p. 366

32 Suraj Bhan, (1972), 'Siswal : A Pre-Harappan Site in Drishavati Valley,'

Puratattva, No. 5, p. 46.

147

33 Chakrabarti, D.K. and Nayanjot Lahiri (1996) Copper and its Alloys in

Ancient India, p. 34.

34 M. Acharya (2008), op. cit., p. 7, 12

35 Allchin, Ramond and Bridget Allchin (1983) The rise of civilization in

India,

p. 133.

36 Agrawal D.P. (2000) Ancient Metal Technology and Archaeology of South

Asia, p. 63.

37 Allchin Raymond & Bridget Allchin (1983) op. cit., p. 148.

38 Dangi, Vivek (2010), A study of Proto-Historic settlement in upper

Ghaggar Basin, unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, M.D.U. Rohtak, p. 362.

39 Asthana, Shashi (1981-83), 'The Dynamics of Pre-Harappan Culture,'

Puratattva No. 13-14, pp. 48-49.

40 Agarwal, D.P. (1971) op. cit., p. 15

41 Upadhyaya, J.P.(2000), op. cit., p. 49.

42 Gupta, S.P. (1996), op. cit, p. 44.

43 Bisht, R.S. (1982) ‘Excavation at Banawali : 1974-77’ in G.L. Possehl, (ed.)

Harappan Civilization, p. 116.

44 Allchin, Raymond and Bridget Allchin (1983), op. cit., p. 133.

45 Sharma, D.P. (2012), Science and Metal Technology at Harappans, p. 88.

46 Agrawal, D.P. 2000, op. cit., p. 84.

47 Mughal, M.R. (1970), The early Harappan period in the greater Indus

Valley and Northern Baluchistan, p. 14.

48 Shinde, V., T. Osada, M.M. Sharma and others (2010), “Exploration in the

Gaggar Basin and Excavation at Girawar, Farmana (Rohtak District) and

Mitathal (Bhiwani District) Haryana, India," in Tosiki Osada, Akinori Uesugi,

(Eds.), Current Studies on the Indus Civilization, Vol. No. 1, p. 131.

49 Hurgreaves, H. (1929), op. cit. MASI, No. 35, p. 40.

50 Ibid.

51 Dangi, Vivek (2010), op. cit, p. 358.

52 Agrawal, D.P. (2007), op. cit. p. 37.

53 Agrawal, D.P. (2000), op. cit., p. 68.

54 Lal, B.B., J.P. Joshi, B.K. Thaper, Madhu Bala (2003), op. cit p. 223.


56 Lal, B.B. and Others (2003), op. cit., pp. 223-229.

57 IAR (1999-2000), pp. 31-32.

58 This information got from Haryana Museum Panchkula.

59 Joshi, J.P. (1997), Facets of Indian Civilization, Vol. No. 1, p. 89.

60 Hargreaves, H. (1929), op. cit. p. 40.

61 This information gotten by Haryana Archaeological and Museum

Department, Panchkula.

62 Amarender Nath (1998-99), 'Further Excavation at Rakhigarhi,' Puratattva,

No. 29, p. 48.

63 Gupta, S.P. (1996), op. cit., p. 24.

64 IAR (1986-87), p. 32.

65 Agarwal D.P. (2000), op. cit., p. 64.

66 Sharma, Y.D. (1979-80), 'The Pre-Harappan in Punjab', Puratattva, No. 11,

p. 35.

67 Upadhyaya, J.P. (2000), op. cit., p. 22.

68 Ibid

148

69 Sharma G.B. and Manmohan Kumar (1980-81), 'Excavation at Rohira',

Puratattva No. 12, p. 127.

70 Kesarwani, Arun (2002), Excavation at Balu (Distt. Kaithal, Haryana), p.

39, 52, 54

71 Rao, L.S, (2000), “The excavation at Bhirrana in Saraswati Plain”, D.P.

Sharma, Madhuri Sharma, Kadimbina Pandey (eds.) The Lost Saraswati

Civilization, p. 277.


73 It is very simply understood that lance is used by a cavalaryman, while a

spear is a weapon of a fort-solider.

74 Thapliyal, Uma Prasad (2000), Warfare in Ancient India, p. 275.

75 Sharma, Y.D. (1999), “The Harappans and the painted grey ware people in

Punjab”, in Punjab History, Conference, Thirteenth Session, Proceeding, p.

19

76 Madhu Bala and Vishnu Kant (2009), Excavation at Dhalewan (1999-

2000, 2001-02), Vol. II, p. 642.

77 Dangi, Vivek (2009), Occasional Paper 8, pp. 76-78.

78 Rahar, Jagdish Singh (1992), Archaeology and History of Jhajjar block

district Rohtak (Unpublished, M.Phil), p. 44.

79 Surender (1999), Archaeology and History of Bhiwani Block district

Bhiwani, Haryana (Unpublished M.Phil.) p. 67.

80 Nath, Jitendra, R.N. Kumaran and Amal Kulkarni (2012), 'Excavation at

Khirsara : A Harappan outport in Kachchh', Puratattva No. 42, p. 130.

81 Upadhyaya, J.P. (2000), op. cit., p. 45-46.

82 Vats, M.S. (1974) Excavation at Harappa, p. 89.

83 Rao, S.R. (1973), Lothal and the Indus civilization, p. 82.

84 Dangi, Vivek (2009), Archaeology of the Gaggar Basin settlement pattern of

Meham Block, Rohtak, Haryana, India, Occasional Paper-8, p. 80.

85 Puratattva No. 35, p. 34.

86. Prabhakar, V.N. (2012) Burial Practices of the Harappan: Sanauli excavation

– A case study, unpublished Ph.D. thesis, Kurukshetra University,

Kurukshetra, pp. 436-37.

87 Rajan, K.V. Soundara (1980) Glimpses of Indian Culture History and

Archaeology, p. 85.

88 Allchin F.R. and D.K. Chakravarti (1997), op. cit. pp. 130-33.

89 Kesarwani, Arun (2002), Excavation at Balu, p. 55.

90 IAR, 1997-98, p. 57.

91 Khanna, Amar Nath (1992), Archaeology of India, p. 112.

92 Madhu Bala, Vishanu Kant (2009) Excavation at Dhalewan (1999-2000 &

2001-2002), Vol. 1, p. 421.

93 Lal, B.B., B.K. Thapar and other (2007), Excavation at Kalibangan, The

Harappan, Part-II, p. 804.

94. Amerendera Nath (2014) Excavation at Rakhigarhi (1197-98 to 1999 -

2000), p. 228.

95 It is displayed at archaeological museum Ropar in Punjab.

96 Horn arrowhead is displayed at Jayanti Archaeological Museum, Jind

(Haryana).

97 Sharma, G.B. and Manmohan Kumar, (1980-81), 'Excavation at Rohira',


98 Subhdev Singh (2005), 'A Socio-economic view of proto historic culture of

Punjab,' in Punjab Historic Conference, 37th session, Proceeding, p. 66.

149

99 Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), Chanhudaro excavation 1935-36, p, 180.


101 Displayed at National Museum, New Delhi

102 Pant, G.N. (1978), Indian Arms and Armour, Vol. I, p. 37.

103 Shinde, Vasant, Toshiki Osada and Other (2008), 'A repot on Excavations at

Farmana 2007-08', Linguistics Archaeology and Human Past, Occasional

Paper 6, p. 106.

104 Pant, G.N. (1978), Op. Cit., p. 37.

105 Lal, B.B., B.K. Thaper, T.P. Joshi, Madhu Bala, R.S. and Ramachanderan

(2007), Excavation at Kalibangan, the Harappan, Vol. II, p. 769.

106 Agrawal, D.P. (2009), Harappan technology and its legacy, p. 224.

107 Marshal, John (1973), Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization, pp. 497-

99.

108 Trivedi, P.K. (2009), Excavation at Tarkhanewala-Dera and Chak 86

(2003-04), pp. 100, 103-04.

109 Rao, L.S., N.B. Sahu, Prabhash Sahu and Other (2003-04), 'Underthing

Harappan Settlement at Bhirrana', Puratattva No. 34, p. 22.

110 According to Professor R.C. Thakran excavator of this site.

111 Sanskritu (2009), Ardhvarshiki Patrika, Vol. 17, p. 03.

112 Ashok Kumar (1990), Archaeology and History of Kathura Block, Distt.

Rohtak (Haryana), (Unpublished M.Phil Dissertation), p. 67.

113 Displayed at National Museum, New Delhi.

114 Upadhyaya, J.P. (2000), op. cit. p. 36.

115 Vats, M.S. (1974), Excavation at Harappa, Vol. I, p. 386.

116 Marshal John (1973), Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization, pp.497-99

117 This information given by Dr. R.C. Thakran excavator of this Harappan site.

118 Agrawal, D.P. (2007), The Indus Civilization, p. 96.

119 Lal, B.B., B.K. Thapar and other (2007), Excavation at Kalibangan, The

Harappan, p. 813

120. Amarendera Nath (2014) op. cit., p. 296.

121 Ghosh, A. (1989), op. cit., Vol. I, p. 350.

122 Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), Chanhudaro excavation 1935-36, p, 180.

123 Chakrabarti, D.K. and Nayanjot Lahiri (1996), Copper and its alloys in

Ancient India, p. 51.

124 Pant, G.N. (1978), Indian Arms and Armours, p. 40.

125 Dahiya, Neelima (1986), Art and Craft in Northern India, p. 108.

126 Vats, M.S. (1974), op. cit., p. 87.

127 Pant, G.N. (1978), op. cit., p. 40.

128 Marshal, John (1931), Mohenjodaro and the Indus Valley Civilization,

Vol. I, p. 35.

129 Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), Further excavation at Mohenjodaro, Vol. I & II, p,

466.

130 Pant, G.N. (1978), op. cit. p. 33.

131 Mackey, E.J.H. (1938), op. cit., p. 467.

132 Sharma, D.V., K.C. Nauriyal, V.N. Prabhakar (2004-05), 'Excavation at

Sanauli 2005-06, A Happran Necropolis in the upper Ganga-Yamuna Doab',

in Puratattva, No. 36, p. 170.

133 Ibid, p. 170.

134 Wheelar, Mortimer (1968), The Cambridge History of India, p. 76., Marshal

John (1931), op. cit., Vol. II, pp. 465-67.


150

136 Singh, Sarva Daman (1989), Ancient Indian Warfare, p. 91.

137 Agarwal, D.P. Harappan technology and its legacy, p. 217.

138 Pant, G.N. (1970), Studies in Indian Weapons and Warfare, p. 25.

139 Agrawal D.P. (2000), op. cit., pp. 78-79.

140 Six axe displayed at National Museum, New Delhi.

141 Copper axe displayed at Jayanti Archaeological Museum, Jind.

142 Shinde, Vasant, Osada, Toshaki, Manmohan Kumar (2011), Excavation at

Farmana, District Rohtak, Haryana 2006-08, p. 511, 513, figure 7.174.

143 IAR (1953-54), p. 06.

144 Madhu Bala and Vishanu Kant (2009), op. cit., Part-I, pp. 416-19.


146 Ibid., p. 29.

147 Upadhyaya, J.P.(2000), op. cit., p. 30

148 Agrawal, D.P. (2009), op. cit., p. 225-226.


150 Rao, S.R. (1973), Lothal and the Indus civilization, p. 81-83, figure 15.

151 Agrawal, D.P. (2000), Ancient Metal Technology and Archaeology of

South Asia, p. 84.


153 Suraj Bhan (1969), 'Excavation at Mitathal (1968), in K.C. Yadav (ed.)

Journal of Haryana Studies, Vol. No. 1, p. 6.

154 Agrawal, D.P. (2009), op. cit, p. 224

155 Vats, M.S. (1974), op. cit., p. 388.

156 Agrawal, D.P. (2009), op. cit, p. 206

157 Agrawal, D.P. (2000), op. cit., p. 85

158 Shinde, Vasant, Toshiki, Osada, Manmohan Kumar (2011), Excavation at

Farmana (Rohtak District) Haryana, India, 2006-08, p. 474.

159 Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), Excavation at Harappa, Vol. 1, p. 385.


161 (2012) Rediscovering India 1961-2011, p. 128.

162 Marshal John, (1973) Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization, Vol. II &

III, p. 502.

163 Lal, B.B. (1979), ‘Kalibangan and the Indus Civilization' ‘in D.P. Agrawal and

D.K. Chakrabarti (eds.) Essay in Protohistory, p. 69.

164 Upadhayaya J.P. (2000), op.cit., p. 49

165 Suraj Bhan (1972), ‘Transformation of Harappa Culture in Haryana,' in Udai

Veer Singh (Ed..) Archaeological Congress and Seminar, pp. 24-25.

166 Ghosh, A. (1989) op. cit, Vol. I, p. 176,

167 Manmohan Kumar, Akinori Uesugi, Vivek Dangi, Vijay Kumar and Takakazu

Nagae (2012), 'Excavation at Mitathal 2011-12,' Puratattva No. 42, p. 174.

168 Vats, M.S. (1994), op. cit., p. 385.

169 Agrawal, D.P.(2000), op. cit., p. 83.

170 Kalyanaraman, S. (2003), Saraswati Technology, Vol. 5, p. 54.

171 Adze displayed at National Museum, New Delhi.

172 Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), Chanhudaro Excavation 1935-36, p. 176.

173 Marshal, John (1973), op. cit., pp. 501-04.

174 Mackey, E.J.H. (1943), Chanhudaro Excavation, pp. 184-85.

175 Trivedi, P.K. (2009), op. cit., p. 105.

176 Agrawal, D.P. (2000), op. cit, p. 88.

177 Sharma, G.B. and Manmohan Kumar (1980-81), Excavation at Rohira,

Puratattva No. 12, p. 127.

151

178 Dangi, Vivek (2010), A Study of Proto-Historic settlement in upper

Ghaggar Basin, Unpublished, Ph.D. Thesis, M.D.U., Rohtak, p. 72

179 Ibid., p. 358.


181 Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), Chanhudaro Excavation, 1935-36, pp. 184.


183 Displayed at Jayanti Archaeological Museum, Jind (Haryana).

184 Dahiya, Neelima (1986), op. cit., p. 108.

185 Marshal, John (1973). op. cit., pp. 500-01.

186 Agrawal, D.P. (2009), Harappan Technology and Its Legacy, p. 222.

187 Lal, B.B, B.K. Thaper, J.P. Joshi, Madhu Bala, A.K. Sharma, R.S.

Ramchandaran (2007), Excavation at Kalibangan, Part-II, p. 69.

188 Ibid., p. 69.

189 Upadhyaya, J.P.(2000), op. cit., p. 62

190 Kalyanaraman, S. (2003), Saraswati Technology, Vol. 5, p. 50.

191 Rajan, K.V., Soundara, (1980) Glimpses of Indian culture History and

Archaeology, p. 83.

192 Agrawal D.P. (2000), Ancient Metal Technology and Archaeology of

South Asia, p. 80.

193 Chakrabarti, D.K. and Lahiri Nayanjot (1996) op. cit, p. 61.



196 Rao, L.S. (2008), ‘The excavation at Bhirrana in Saraswati Plain’ in Sharma,

D.P., Madhuri Sharma, Kadambina Panday (ed.) The Lost Saraswati


197 Dahiya, Neelima (1986), op. cit., p. 90.

198 Lal, B.B., B.K. Thaper, J.P. Joshi, Madhu Bala, A.K. Sharma and R.S.

Ramchandran (2007), op. cit p. 804.

199 Madhu Bala and Vishanu Kant (2009), op. cit., p. 421.

200 Rajan, K.V. Soundara (1980), op. cit., p. 83

201 Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), Chanhudaro Excavation, p. 186.

202 Chakrabarti, D.K. and Nayanjot Lahiri (1996) op. cit., p. 361

203 Kalyanaraman, S. (2003), op. cit., p. 35.

204 Ibid, p. 36.


206 Conghlan in C. Singer, History of Technology, Vol. I.

207 Prabhakar, V.N., R.S. Bisth, R.W. Law and J.M. Kenoyer (2012), 'Stone drill

bits from Dholavira – A Multi-faceted analysis,' Man and Environment, Vol.

XXXVII, No. 1, pp. 8-25.

208 Kenoyer, J.M. and Massimo Vidale (1992), A new look into the stone drill of

the Indus Valley Tradition, Material issues in Art and Archaeology III,

Materials Research Society Symposium Proceeding 267, pp. 495-518.

209 Mackey, E.J.H. (1976), op. cit., p. 186.

210 Patel, Ambika (2005-06), 'Copper artifacts from Bagasra (Gola Dhoro), A

Harappan site of Gujarat, Western India,' Puratattva, No. 36, p. 227.

211 Sharma, G.B. and Menmohan Kumar (1980-81), 'Excavation at Rohira,' in


212 It is displayed at Museum, Dept. of A.I.H. Cul. & Archaeology, K.U.

Kurukshetra.

213 Lal, B.B., B.K. Thapar, J.P. Joshi, Madhu Bala, A.K. Sharma, R.S.

Ramchandran (2007), op. cit., Vol-II, p. 763.

152

214 It is displayed at Museum, Dept. of A.I.H. Cul. & Archaeology, K.U.

Kurukshetra.

215 Vats, M.S. (1974), op. cit., p.

216 Ghosh, A. (1989), op. cit., Vol. I, p. 187., Mackey, E.J.H. (1976) Indus


217 Sharma D.P. (2006), Glimpses of Harappan Archaeology, p. 139.


219 Vats, M.S. (1974) Excavation at Harappa, Vol. I & II, p. 389.


South Asia, p. 78.

221 Ibid., p. 85.

222 Upadhyaya, J.P.(2000), op. cit., pp. 71-72.

223 Chakrabarti, D.K. and Nayanjot Lahiri (1996) op. cit., p. 61.

224 Gupta, S.P. (1996), op. cit., p. 92.

225 Kesarwani, Arun (2002), Excavation at Balu (Distt. Kaithal, Haryana),

p. 52

226 It is displayed at National Museum, New Delhi.

227 Kesarwani, Arun (2002), op. cit., p. 55

228 Shinde, Vasant, Osada, Toshaki, Manmohan Kumar (2011), Excavation at

Farmana, District Rohtak, Haryana 2006-08, p. 500.

229 Displayed at Ropar Archaeological Museum, Punjab.

230 Madhu Bala, Vishanu Kant (2009), op. cit. p. 421.

231 Shinde, Vasant, Osada, Toshaki, Manmohan Kumar (2011), op. cit., p. 500.

232 Vats, M.S. (1974), op. cit., p. 390

233 Lal, B.B., B.K. Thapar and other (2007), Excavation at Kalibangan, p. 769.

234 Nath, Jitendra, R.N. Kumaran and Amol Kulkarni (2012), Excavation at

Khirsara : A Harappan outpart in Kachchh, Puratattva No. 42. p. 130

235 Kesarwani, Arun (2002), op. cit., p. 52.



238 Displayed at Jayanti Archaeological Museum, Jind (Haryana).

239 Marshal, John (1973), Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization, Vol. II, p.

501.

240 Ibid.

241 Sant, Urmila and Other (2004-05), “Baror – A new Harappa site in Ghaggar

Valley – A preliminary report, Puratattva, No. 35, p. 54.

242 Nath, Jitendra, R.N. Kumaran and Amol Kulkarni (2012), 'Excavation at

Khirsara : A Harappan outport in Kachchh,' Puratattva No. 42, p. 130.

243 Patel, Ambika (2005-06), 'Copper artifacts from Bagasra (Gola Dhoro), A

Harappan site of Gujarat, Western India,' Puratattva, No. 36, p. 227.

244 Bisht, R.S. (1982), 'Excavation at Banawali: 1974-77, in G.L. Possehl, (ed.)


245 IAR, 1997-98, p. 33.

246 Dangi, Vivek (2010), op.cit., p. 72

247 Agrawal D.P. (2000), op. cit., p. 88.


249 It is displayed at archaeological museum Ropar in Punjab.

250 Bisht, R.S. (1982) 'Excavation at Banawali : 1974-77,' G.L. Possehl, (ed.)


251 Agrawal D.P. (2000), op. cit., p. 79.

252 This information taken from Ropar Archaeological Museum,Punjab,

153


254 Agrawal, D.P. (2007), The Indus Civilization, p. 208.

255 These are displayed at Archaeological Museum, Ropar, Punjab., IAR, 1953-

54, p. 6.

256 Ibid.

257 Madhu Bala and Vishnu Kant (2009), op.cit.,Vol. I, p. 415-16.

258 Bisht, R.S. (1978), “Banawali : A New Harappan site in Haryana” in Man &

Environment, Vol. No. II, p. 87.

259 Shinde, Vasant, Osada, Toshiki, Manmohan Kumar (2011), Excavation at

Farmana, District Rohtak, Haryana 2006-08, p. 471-79.

260 Dangi, Vivek (2010), op.cit., pp. 362-65.

261 Rajan, K.V. Soundara (1980), Glimpses of Indian Culture History and

Archaeology, p. 78.

262 Dangi, Vivek (2010), op.cit., pp. 362-65

263 Kesarwani, Arun (2002), op. cit., p. 55

264 Dangi, Vivek (2010), op. cit., p. 357.


266 Shinde, Vasant, T.Osada and Manmohan Kumar (2011), Excavation at

Farmana, District Rohtak, Haryana 2006-08, p. 511, 514, figure 7.176

267 Dangi, Vivek (2010) op.cit., pp. 358.



South Asia, p. 82

270 Kesarwani, Arun (2000-2001), 'Balu a fortified rural settlement in Haryana,'

Puratattva, Vol. 31, p. 143.

271 These are displayed at Haryana Archaeological Museum, Panchkula.

272 Madhu Bala, Vishanu Kant (2008), Excavation of Dhalewan (1999-2000 &

2001-02), Part-I, Early Harappan and Harappan, p. 421.

273 IAR, 1997-98, p. 57.

274 Dikshit,K.N (1984) ‘Late Harappan in Northern India’ in B.B lal and S.P

Gupta (eds.) Frontier of the Indus civilization,P.253

275 Agrawal, D.P (2009) Harappan technology and its Legacy, p.228

276 Dikshit K.N (1984) op. cit. p.267

277 Gupta S.P (1993) ‘Longer chronology of the Indus Saraswati civilization’ in

Puratattva No.23, pp.26-27.

278 Kesarwani Arun (2002) Excavation at Balu , p.49

279 IAR (1977-78) p.23

280 Displayed at Archaeological museum, deptt, of Ancient Indian History,

culture & Archaeology, K.U. Kurukshetra..

281 Ibid

282 Agrawal, D.P (2000) Ancient Metal technology and Archaeology of South

Asia, p.92

283 IAR 1974-75. p.16

284 Joshi J.P and Madhubala (1993) Excavation at Bhagwanpura (1975-76)

p.136

285 Sali, S.A. (1986), Daimabad (1976-79), p. 563.


287 Suraj Bhan (1975) Exavation at Mitathal (1968) and other exporation in

Satluj-Yamuna divide, pp. 62,64-65,92

288 Rao, S.R (1973) Lothal and Indus civilization p.82,84

154

289 Kailash Kumar (1988) Archaelogy and History of Rohtak block,

unpublished, M.Phil Dissertation, M.D.U. Rohtak ,P.93

290 Surender Singh (1988) Archaeology and History Meham Block District

Rohtak (Haryana) unpublished M.Phil, dissertation MDU Rohtak. pp.54-55

291 Chakrabarti, D.K and Nayanjot Lahiri (1996) op. cit., p. 63.

292 Agrawal (2009) op. cit, pp.62,65,91-92

293 Des gupta, nupur (1997) The dawn of technology in Indian protohistory,

p. 446

294 Suraj Bhan (1975) op. cit., pp.62.65, 91-92

295 Chakrabarti, D.K. and Nayanjot Lahiri (1996) op. cit., p. 63

296 IAR (1969-70) pp. 31-32

297 It is displayed at Archaeological Museum Ropar, Punjab

298 Manmohan Kumar and Akinori Uesugi (2014), Harappan Studies, Vol I.,

p. 7

299 Joshi J.P and Madhu Bala (1993) op. cit. p.133

300 Ibid., p. 136

301 Suraj Bhan (1975) op. cit., p. 59, 62.

302 Agrawal D.P (2007) The Indus Civilisation p.131

303 This knife is displayed at Archaeological museum Thaneswar, Haryana

304 Madhu Bala (1992) Archaeology of Punjab, p.31

305 Joshi, J.P (1993) op. cit., p.134

306 Displayed at Archaeological Museum Ropar, Punjab

307 Displayed at Archaeological Museum deptt. of A.I.H. cul. & Archaeology.,

K.U. Kurukshetra

308 Ibid

309 Kesarwani, Arun (1991) Archaeological activities of the Kurukshetra

university in ‘Haryana Intech’.

310 Madhava Acharya and R.S Dahiya (2003-05) Joganakhera, pp.10-11

311 Manmohan kumar, V.A Shinde and A. uesugi (2009) “Excavation at Madina

Distt. Rohtak Haryana 2007-08 A Report” in T.Osada and A.Uesuge (eds.)

occasional paper 7, p.95

312 I.A.R 1968-69 p.25

313 Bone points are displsyed Archaeological Museum Thaneshwar (Haryana)

314 Ibid

315 IAR 1968-69, p.25

316 Possehl,G.L (1982) op. cit. p.21

317 Margabandhu C.and R.P.Sharma (1992) 'Khatoli- A protohistoric site in

south Haryana,' Journal of Haryana studies, vol. XXIV.1 p.p.1-10

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CHAPTER 2 WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS IN HARAPPAN PHASEshodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/117773/7/07_chapter 2.pdf · Harappan civilization is well known to us for its art, architecture,