Ancient History of India : OLD NCERT Short Notes or Revision : CHAPTER-23 : Crafts, Commerce, and Urban Growth (200 BC–AD 250) (Arora IAS) OLD NCERT Notes (Ancient India)

CHAPTER-23 : Crafts, Commerce, and Urban Growth (200 BC–AD 250)

Ancient History of India
OLD NCERT
Short Notes or Revision Notes 

 

Crafts and Craftsmen in Ancient India

Variety of Crafts:

• Pre-Mauryan Era (Digha Nikaya):Nearly 20 occupations mentioned.
• Maurya Era (Mahavastu):36 crafts identified in Rajgir.
• Later Texts:
  • Milinda Panho: 75 occupations, 60 related to crafts.
  • The Garland of Madurai (Tamil text): Provides additional details.

Craft Centers and Products:

• Telangana Region (Andhra):
  • Weapons, tools (balance rods, axes, hoes, sickles, ploughshares), razors, ladles.
• Iron and Steel:Exported to Africa, known for high quality.
• Textiles:
  • Mathura – center for “shataka” cloth.
  • South India – dyeing industry (vats found in Uraiyur and Arikamedu).
• Luxury Goods:
  • Indian ivory found in Afghanistan and Rome (similar to Satavahana sites).
• Glassware:
  • Roman glass found in Taxila and Afghanistan.
  • Glass-blowing knowledge arrived around the Christian era.

Merchants and Trade in Ancient India

Types of Merchants:

• The Garland of Madurai:Describes bustling marketplaces and importance of shopkeepers (apana).
• Guilds (Sreni, Ayatana):Organized artisans and merchants (details unclear from texts).
• Merchant Hierarchy:
  • Sresthi: Chief merchant of a city (nigama).
  • Sarthavaha: Leader of merchant corporations (vanijgrama).
  • Vanija: Various petty merchants.
  • Agrivanija: Possibly predecessors of Agrawals (meaning unclear).

Trade Routes and Centers:

• Parthians:Obstructed India’s trade west of Iran despite importing iron and steel.
• Monsoon knowledge (around 1st century AD):Enabled direct sailing from east to west coasts of Arabian Sea, reaching ports like Broach, Sopara (west), Arikamedu, Tamralipti (east).
• Shakas & Kushans (North-West Trade):
  • Two routes converged at Taxila, connected to Silk Route.
  • 1st Route: Taxila – Lower Indus – Broach (direct north-south).
  • 2nd Route (Uttarapatha): More frequent.
    • Taxila – Punjab – Yamuna riverbank.
    • Yamuna – Mathura – Ujjain (Malwa) – Broach.
    • Ujjain connected to another route starting from Kaushambi (near Allahabad).

Imports and Exports in Ancient India

Roman Imports from India:

• Spices (south India)
• Muslin
• Pearls, jewels, precious stones (central/south India)
• Iron goods (especially cutlery)

Luxury Goods:

• Pearls, ivory, precious stones, animals

Other Imports:

• Kitchenware (possible)
• Cutlery (for upper class)
• Silk (indirectly from China via Central Asia)

Roman Exports to India:

• Wine
• Wine amphorae
• Pottery (found in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu)
• Lead (for coins)

Other Finds:

• Begram (Afghanistan): Glass jars, bowls, bronze stands, weights (Western origin)
• Taxila (Pakistan): Graeco-Roman sculptures, silver ornaments, Roman coins

Note: Arretine pottery (Roman) not found in central/western India or Afghanistan.

Chinese Exports to India (via Silk Route):

• Silk

Indian Exports to Southeast Asia (via Roman Empire):

• Unclear

Money and Urban Growth in Ancient India

Money (5th century BC onwards):

• Gold tribute paid to Iran (possibly from Sindh mines).
• Kushans:
  • Gold dinar coins (became abundant under Guptas).
  • Most copper coins in north/northwest India.
• Other dynasties using copper/bronze coins:
  • Nagas (central India)
  • Yaudheyas (eastern Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, UP)
  • Mitras (Kaushambi, Mathura, Avanti, Ahichchhatra)
• Peak coinage period: 200 BC – 300 AD (Indian, Central Asian rulers, cities, tribes).

Urban Growth:

• North Indian Towns:
  • Mentioned in literature and by Chinese pilgrims (Vaishali, Pataliputra, Varanasi, Kaushambi, Shravasti, Hastinapur, Mathura, Indraprastha).
  • Flourished during Kushan period (1st-2nd century AD).
  • Superior Kushan constructions found in excavations (Bihar, UP, Rajasthan).
  • Examples: Chirand, Panr, Sonpur, Buxar (Bihar), Khairadih, Mason (eastern UP), Sohgaura, Bhita, Kaushambi, Shringaverapur, Atranjikhera (UP), Rangmahal (Rajasthan).
  • Sachnan Kot (UP): Largest Kushan town found so far (9 sq. km).
  • Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Ropar (Punjab), Haryana sites: Show quality Kushan constructions (often reused by Guptas).
• Ujjain:Major trade center due to its location (routes from Kaushambi, Mathura) and agate/carnelian exports.
• South Indian Towns (Satavahana Kingdom):
  • Flourished alongside Shaka and Kushan kingdoms.
  • Examples: Tagar, Paithan, Dhanyakataka, Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, Broach, Sopara, Arikamedu, Kaveripattanam.

Connection between Urban Growth and Trade Routes:

• Towns in Punjab and western UP thrived due to the Kushan power center in the northwest.
• Many Kushan towns lay on the Uttarapatha route (Mathura – Taxila).