Key Facts about Lothal

Dockyard and Maritime Trade

• Lothal’s most notable feature is its dockyard, considered one of the oldest in the world.
• The dockyard, measuring 218 meters long and 37 meters wide, was connected to the Sabarmati River, which provided access to the Arabian Sea.
• It facilitated trade with Mesopotamia, Egypt, and other distant regions, as evidenced by seals, beads, and other artifacts discovered at the site.

Town Planning

• Lothal exhibits the hallmark features of Harappan urban planning, with well-laid streets arranged in a grid pattern.
• The town was divided into:
  • Acropolis (Upper Town): Reserved for the ruling class and adorned with paved floors.
  • Lower Town: The residential area for common people, equipped with drainage systems.
• Houses were constructed using standardized bricks and had bathrooms and wells.

Advanced Drainage System

• Lothal had a sophisticated underground drainage system that included covered drains made of bricks.
• Wastewater from houses was directed into street drains, reflecting the engineering prowess of the Harappans.

Bead-Making Industry

• Lothal was a prominent center for bead-making, using materials like semi-precious stones, carnelian, steatite, and shell.
• Artifacts suggest that beads were exported to Mesopotamia and other regions, highlighting its role in global trade.

Seal Making

• Numerous seals with inscriptions in the undeciphered Harappan script have been found at Lothal.
• The seals were used for trade and administrative purposes, signifying the presence of an organized economic system.

Rice Cultivation

• Lothal provides the earliest evidence of rice cultivation in the Indian subcontinent, alongside other crops like wheat, barley, and cotton.

Weighing and Measurement

• Standardized weights and measures, made of chert, have been discovered at Lothal.
• These were likely used in trade and taxation, reflecting the organized economic practices of the Harappans.