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Feeding ancient cities in South Asia: dating the adoption ofrice, millet and tropical pulses in the Indus civilisation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2016

C.A. Petrie ,
J. Bates ,
T. Higham  and
R.N. Singh
C.A. Petrie*
Affiliation:
Division of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, UK
J. Bates
Affiliation:
Division of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, UK
T. Higham
Affiliation:
RLAHA, Oxford University, Dyson Perrins Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
R.N. Singh
Affiliation:
Department of AIHC & Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
*
*Author for correspondence (Email: cap59@cam.ac.uk)
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Abstract

The first direct absolute dates for the exploitation of several summer cropsby Indus populations are presented here. These include rice, millets andthree tropical pulse species at two settlements in the hinterland of theurban site of Rakhigarhi. The dates confirm the role of native summerdomesticates in the rise of Indus cities. They demonstrate that, from theirearliest phases, a range of crops and variable strategies, includingmulti-cropping, were used to feed different urban centres. This hasimportant implications for understanding the development of the earliestcities in South Asia, particularly the organisation of labour andprovisioning throughout the year.

Keywords

South AsiaIndus civilisationricemilletpulses

Information

Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 90 , Issue 354 , December 2016 , pp. 1489 - 1504
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2016 

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