[by: Kandiah Thillaivinayagalingam]
The Harappans who lived in the Indus Valley
civilization did not pass down their recipes,but they had various Terracotta
pots of all shapes and sizes were found at Mohenjo-daro and other Indus Valley
sites.Pots were probably used to carry and store many different types of
liquids and grains.Also,perforated pots,they found along with others,may have
been used for cheese making.Plate with vertical sides.Copper and bronze plates
were also found,probably used exclusively by wealthy upper class city
dwellers.Their main staples were wheat and barley, which were presumably made
into bread and perhaps also cooked with water as a gruel or porridge.In some
places,particularly Gujarat,they also cultivated some native millets; possibly
broomcorn millet, which may have been introduced from southern Central
Asia;Though they fed wild rice to their cattle,and probably began to cultivate
it,though rice does not become an important crop until Post-Harappan times.The
Harappans grew lentils and other pulses (peas, chickpeas, green gram, black
gram) also.The Harappans must have eaten a range of fruit, vegetables and
spices:these included a variety of brassica,brown mustard
greens,coriander,dates,jujube,walnuts, grapes,figs;many others,such as
mango,okra,caper, sugarcane,garlic,turmeric,ginger,cumin and cinnamon,were
locally available and probably grown or gathered by the Harappans,but the
evidence is lacking.However,fruits and vegetables remains found in pots and
pottery illustrations prove that banana,date,gourd,pomegranate were in use.
Sesame was grown for oil,and linseed oil may also have been used.The people of
the valley were habituated in creating ornaments in the shape of various fruits
which were found during excavation,further supporting these facts.The granaries
found at some Harappan cities clearly indicate that cereals were produced in
large quantity.Bones of wild species such as boar,deer,and gharial also known
as the gavial, and the fish-eating crocodile, are also found in indus
valley.Another interesting find is the banana,which was first cultivated in
Papua New Guinea. It is not clear if banana was cultivated in the Harappan
region or if it was obtained via trade with people in the East via the trading
hubs of the ancient world.
The people of the Indus Valley civilization
were not all vegetarians.Along with the vegetarian food items
the people of
Indus valley civilization also consumed meat that was evident from the fact
that meat was included in the offerings made for the dead and there is also
evidence that at least some people in Harappan sites ate beef.Also With
the excavation of number of artefacts like sling balls of clay, copper fish
hooks, the arrow heads, the flying knives etc strongly prove that these were
required to kill and this also prove that,the Indus valley people were not only
farmers,they were competent and efficient hunters and fishermen.Meat came
mainly from cattle,but Included in this list are chicken,mutton,
beef,pork.Buffaloes,sheep,goats and cows were reared for milk too. Along with
that,they also hunted a wide range of wildfowl and wild animals such as
deer,antelopes and wild boar.They also ate fish and shellfish from the
rivers,lakes and the sea;as well as being eaten fresh,many fish were dried or
salted.Along with fish,fruits & vegetables also dried for use in the harsh
winters.– many bones and shells in hard form from marine fish such as
jack and catfish etc has been found in and around the houses of the Indus
valley civilization, at Harappa, far inland.
PART
:12 WILL FOLLOW
0 comments:
Post a Comment