Environmental magnetic, Geochemical and Sulfur isotopic imprints of an Indus archaeological site 4MSR from western India (Rajasthan): Implications to the Indus industrial (metallurgical) activities

Understanding the transport networks complex between South Asia, Southeast Asia and China during the late Neolithic and Bronze Age

“…The trans-Henguan mountain exchange between China, South, and Southeast Asia was likely mainly along the “Shu-Shendu Road” (Luo, 1990) in prehistory and may start in the fifth millennium BP with a lower frequency exchange (Figure 3a). Rice remains were identified from a few Neolithic sites in South Asia and dated to 4500–4000 BP (Long et al, 2022; Sharma et al, 2020; Figure 3a), implying the appearance of rice cultivation in South Asia by the mid-fifth millennium BP. These rice remains might have been transmitted into South Asia following multiple dispersal routes similar to the historically documented “Shu-Shendu Road,” although no rice remains have been found in Myanmar (Figure 3a).…”

Evidence for Seawater Retreat With Advent of Meghalayan Era (∼4200 a BP) in a Coastal Harappan Settlement

“…Thereafter, the decentralizing and migrating of Harappan settlers toward the sea may be contemporaneous with monsoonal dryness and regional sea level fall, gradually trending toward the present‐day dry conditions (Figure 5). The inferred relative sea‐level fall at the initiation of the Meghalayan Age (∼4150 ± 230 yr BP) might have impeded the functioning of Lothal dockyard, affecting the trade/ business of the Harappan inhabitants which were already suffering from the prevailing monsoonal aridity at the beginning of the Meghalayan Age (∼4200–∼3800 yr BP; Sharma, Agnihotri, et al., 2020).…”

“…Similarly, Das et al (2017) reported evidences for a high sea stand during 6000-3000 yr BP period from the Taken together, the present study hitherto brings out sea level changes from the vicinity of ancient Indus dockyard (Lothal) during the latter part of the mature phase (urbanized) of the Indus era (∼4200-3800 yr BP) which might have had its impacts on Harappan maritime trade and other related activities. With technical advancements made in the field of stable isotopic measurements, it is possible to simultaneously measure C and S isotopes of few milligrams of geological samples (Sharma, Agnihotri, et al, 2020) and in turn detect changes in the regional sea levels. Both east and west coasts of India have plenty of human made structures which today are submerged (Gaur et al, 2021;Sundresh et al, 2014).…”

“…As the sampled trench lies within the estuarine zone of coastal west coast of India, high frequency changes in sediment lithology were recorded, nonetheless, multiple proxy changes especially (isotopic, elemental abundance and foraminifera assemblage) reveal a likely relative sea level fall which dried the ancient Harappan dockyard and perhaps impeded maritime activities of the mature (urbanized) phase of the Indus era. The mature phase of Indus civilization (4600–3800 yr BP; Sharma, Agnihotri, et al., 2020) is known to have witnessed a significant decline in trade and prosperity after ∼4200 yr BP (Kenoyer, 1998; Meadow, 1993; Possehl, 2002). As long‐distance trade with contemporary civilizations was supposed to be a major factor for their advanced technological prowess and prosperity (in addition to their agricultural wealth), probable cause(s) which might have adversely affected their trade have to be investigated in detail.…”

Agricultural resilience and land-use from an Indus settlement in north-western India: Inferences from stable Carbon and Nitrogen isotopes of archaeobotanical remains

“…It has to be noted that majority of the archaeological researches carried out so for on Indus valley sites provide wealthy information about their material-culture, advent of metal technologies, architectural prowess, trade, and overall socio-economic status of ancient settlers (Agarwal, 1971;Asthana, 1993;Bhan et al, 2002;Giosan et al, 2012;Kenoyer and Miller, 1999;Lal et al, 2003;Marshall, 1931;Possehl, 2002;Sana Ullah, 1931, 1940Sharma et al, 2020b;Shinde, 2016;Vats, 1940). To the best of our knowledge, studies on Indus agronomy, crop-diversity, strategies and intensi cation are relatively sparse (García-Granero et al, 2016; Miller et al 2006Miller et al , 2015Petrie et al, 2016;Weber et al 2010).…”