Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus Civilisation
Abstract Movement of resources was essential to the survival and success of early complex societies. The sources and destinations of goods and the means of transportation – be it by boats, carts and/or foot – can often be inferred, but the logistics of these movements are inherently more difficult t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50249-3 |
| _version_ | 1797363373148471296 |
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| author | C. A. Petrie E. Lightfoot P. J. Jones J. R. Walker B. T. Valentine J. Krigbaum P. le Roux P. P. Joglekar V. Shinde R. N. Singh T. C. O’Connell |
| author_facet | C. A. Petrie E. Lightfoot P. J. Jones J. R. Walker B. T. Valentine J. Krigbaum P. le Roux P. P. Joglekar V. Shinde R. N. Singh T. C. O’Connell |
| author_sort | C. A. Petrie |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Movement of resources was essential to the survival and success of early complex societies. The sources and destinations of goods and the means of transportation – be it by boats, carts and/or foot – can often be inferred, but the logistics of these movements are inherently more difficult to ascertain. Here, we use strontium isotopic analysis to test hypotheses about the role of animal and animal-powered transport in medium and long-distance movement and exchange, using the Indus Civilization as a case study. Across the wide geographical spread of the Indus Civilisation, there is strong evidence for long-distance exchange of raw materials and finished objects and this process is presumed to involve boats and animal-driven transport, although there is little evidence as to the relative importance of each mode of movement. Strontium isotopic analysis of animal remains from four sites analysed for this study combined with results from nine other sites indicates limited long-distance animal movement between different geological zones within the Indus Civilisation. These findings suggest that individual animals primarily moved short- or medium-distances, though there are several significant exceptions seen in some pigs and cattle found at two large urban sites. We infer that long-distance transport of goods, be it raw materials, finished objects, other goods, or the animals themselves, could have occurred through the use of boats and waterways, by traction animals moving over long distances that did not end up in the archaeological record, and/or by different animals participating in many short to medium-distance movements. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:19:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-71113374d4fd4b4e9fcb75f515ffd884 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T16:19:26Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-71113374d4fd4b4e9fcb75f515ffd8842024-01-07T12:25:52ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-01-0114111410.1038/s41598-023-50249-3Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus CivilisationC. A. Petrie0E. Lightfoot1P. J. Jones2J. R. Walker3B. T. Valentine4J. Krigbaum5P. le Roux6P. P. Joglekar7V. Shinde8R. N. Singh9T. C. O’Connell10Department of Archaeology, University of CambridgeDepartment of Archaeology, University of CambridgeMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of TasmaniaDepartment of Archaeology, University of CambridgeDepartment of Anthropology, University of FloridaDepartment of Anthropology, University of FloridaDepartment of Geological Sciences, University of Cape TownDepartment of Archaeology, Deccan CollegeDepartment of Archaeology, Deccan CollegeDepartment of AIHC and Archaeology, Banaras Hindu UniversityDepartment of Archaeology, University of CambridgeAbstract Movement of resources was essential to the survival and success of early complex societies. The sources and destinations of goods and the means of transportation – be it by boats, carts and/or foot – can often be inferred, but the logistics of these movements are inherently more difficult to ascertain. Here, we use strontium isotopic analysis to test hypotheses about the role of animal and animal-powered transport in medium and long-distance movement and exchange, using the Indus Civilization as a case study. Across the wide geographical spread of the Indus Civilisation, there is strong evidence for long-distance exchange of raw materials and finished objects and this process is presumed to involve boats and animal-driven transport, although there is little evidence as to the relative importance of each mode of movement. Strontium isotopic analysis of animal remains from four sites analysed for this study combined with results from nine other sites indicates limited long-distance animal movement between different geological zones within the Indus Civilisation. These findings suggest that individual animals primarily moved short- or medium-distances, though there are several significant exceptions seen in some pigs and cattle found at two large urban sites. We infer that long-distance transport of goods, be it raw materials, finished objects, other goods, or the animals themselves, could have occurred through the use of boats and waterways, by traction animals moving over long distances that did not end up in the archaeological record, and/or by different animals participating in many short to medium-distance movements.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50249-3 |
| spellingShingle | C. A. Petrie E. Lightfoot P. J. Jones J. R. Walker B. T. Valentine J. Krigbaum P. le Roux P. P. Joglekar V. Shinde R. N. Singh T. C. O’Connell Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus Civilisation Scientific Reports |
| title | Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus Civilisation |
| title_full | Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus Civilisation |
| title_fullStr | Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus Civilisation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus Civilisation |
| title_short | Animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the Indus Civilisation |
| title_sort | animal movement on the hoof and on the cart and its implications for understanding exchange within the indus civilisation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50249-3 |
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