Feeding ancient cities in South Asia: Dating the adoption of rice, millet and tropical pulses in the Indus civilisation
Accepted version
Peer-reviewed
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Authors
Petrie, CA
Bates, J
Higham, T
Singh, RN
Abstract
© Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2016.The first direct absolute dates for the exploitation of several summer crops by Indus populations are presented here. These include rice, millets and three tropical pulse species at two settlements in the hinterland of the urban site of Rakhigarhi. The dates confirm the role of native summer domesticates in the rise of Indus cities. They demonstrate that, from their earliest phases, a range of crops and variable strategies, including multi-cropping, were used to feed different urban centres. This has important implications for understanding the development of the earliest cities in South Asia, particularly the organisation of labour and provisioning throughout the year.
Description
Keywords
South Asia, Indus civilisation, rice, millet, pulses
Journal Title
Antiquity
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
0003-598X
1745-1744
1745-1744
Volume Title
90
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Publisher DOI
Sponsorship
European Research Council (648609)
UK India Education and Research Initiative (Standard Award), British Academy (Stein Arnold Fund and International Mobility Scheme), Isaac Newton Trust, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC Radiocarbon Facility (Project IDs: NF/2009/2/7, NF/2013/1/6)), Arts and Humanities Research Council (Studentship), Trinity College (University of Cambridge), Division of Archaeology, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology (University of Cambridge)