Subsistence Strategies of Harappan Civilization| Class 12 History
Last Updated : 09 Apr, 2025
Subsistence Strategies of the Harappan Civilization is a subpart of the Class 12 history. The subpart is described under the chapter "Bricks, Beads, and Bones". It gives us an idea of the ancient Harappan Civilization and its people and how they gather foods and fulfill their basic needs for their survival.
But the cultivation was the foremost Subsistence Strategy that they followed. Archeologists and historians found so much evidence of the bones of the different animals and it proved that they also consumed meat as their food.
In this article, we will discuss the Class 12 History: Subsistence Strategies of Harappan Civilization subpart in detail.
Subsistence Strategies of Harappan Civilization| Class 12 History
Subsistence Strategies of Harappan Civilization
The Harappan Civilization was the most well-known civilization in the world. The Subsistence Strategies of the Harappan Civilization were complex but were essential for survival. Here are the Subsistence Strategies of the Harappan Civilization as mentioned below.
Agricultural Technologies
- Agriculture was the main subsistence of the Harappan Civilization and people highly relied on it.
- Harappan people were really capable in the field of agriculture.
- The people of Harappa lived in the fertile valley of the Indus river which helped them in the process of irrigation also.
- Harappan people cultivated so many crops like wheat, barley, different types of lentils, and peas.
- Cotton was the major commercial crop of the Indus Valley Civilization and Wheat was their major food crop.
- Harappan people are majorly known for their advanced process and system of irrigation.
- The advanced irrigation system allowed them to cultivate new crops in the time of low rainfall.
Commerce And Trade In the Harappan Civilization
- Commerce And Trade were another subsistence strategy of the Harappan Civilization.
- The civilization was involved in long-distance trade and commerce with different regions of the world like Central Asia, Persian Gulf, and Mesopotamia.
- They exported so many goods like cotton, different textile products, high class pottery, and valuable stones.
- Trade and commerce were really essential for their economy.
Fishing And Hunting In the Harappan Civilization
- The Harappan people really relied on fishing and hunting.
- They started fishing in the Indus River and nearby seas.
- Harappan people hunted different wild animals for meat as they were the consumers of meat.
- Sometimes hunting was essential as the wild animals destroyed their agricultural products.
- For hunting, Harappan people traveled to the mountain areas as these places were not ideal for farming.
Pastoralism Or Domestication Of The Animals
- Domestication was another form of the Subsistence Strategies of the Harappan Civilization.
- They domesticated different types of cattle including sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens.
- These animals were their basic supply of milk, eggs, and meat.
Major Points To Remember - Subsistence Strategies of Harappan Civilization
Here are some major points you should remember about the Subsistence Strategies of Harappan Civilization as mentioned below.
- Harappan Civilization was majorly dependent on different plants and animals for their food.
- There was so much evidence found in the form of bones that says that these people consume meat as their food.
- The terracotta model found that these people used ox and plow to cultivate the food.
- So many different grain traces have been found in the time of excavation like wheat, barley, lentils, chickpea, sesame, etc.
- Some traces of the Millet and Rice were found in the IVC site of Gujarat.
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