Lothal Dockyard — Complete Notes for UPSC

1. Introduction

• Lothal = prominent site of the Indus Valley Civilization (Harappan Civilization)
• Located in present-day Gujarat, near Gulf of Khambhat
• Excavated by S.R. Rao (1954–1962)
• Famous for → world’s earliest known dockyard

2. Geographical setting

• Located on the Bhogava River near the Gulf of Khambhat
• Strategic position for sea trade → connected Harappan inland cities to maritime trade routes.

3. Dockyard features

• Dimensions → 214 m × 36 m
• Built with burnt bricks
• Tidal dock → used to berth ships during high tide
• Inlet & outlet channels → regulated water flow, prevented silting
• Evidence of sluice gates for water management
• Provided anchorage for sea-faring and riverine ships.

4. Purpose & significance

• Export–import hub for trade with Mesopotamia (called Meluhha in Mesopotamian records)
• Important for trade of → semi-precious stones, beads, shells, cotton, ivory, copper
• Indirect evidence: seals with Mesopotamian script found at Lothal

5. Other important findings at Lothal

• Bead-making workshops → carnelian, agate beads
• Shell working, ivory workshops
• Fire altars → possible ritual practices
• Double burial → male and female buried together (rare in Harappan sites)
• Pottery with painted designs → fish motifs
• Warehouse / granary → storage of trade goods

6. Urban planning

• Grid pattern → streets at right angles
• Divided into citadel (acropolis) and lower town
• Well-planned drainage system → typical Harappan feature

7. Trade connections

• Mesopotamia, Oman, Bahrain, Persian Gulf
• Mesopotamian texts mention trade with “Meluhha,” possibly referring to Indus ports like Lothal

8. Decline

• Silting of dockyard, floods, and shifting river courses led to decline
• Gradual abandonment as maritime trade collapsed

9. Unique importance among Harappan sites

• Only site with a dockyard
• Shows advanced knowledge of hydraulic engineering and maritime technology

Common UPSC Mistakes to Avoid

• Dockyard is at Lothal, not at Mohenjodaro or Harappa
• Not just a river port → it was connected to the sea
• The fire altars at Lothal are sometimes confused with Vedic rituals → they predate Vedic period

Objective (MCQ-style) UPSC Questions

1. Which river is associated with the Lothal dockyard?
   a) Indus
   b) Bhogava
   c) Saraswati
   d) Sabarmati
   → Answer: b) Bhogava

2. Which of the following is true about Lothal?
   a) It was the capital of the Harappan Civilization
   b) It had the world’s earliest known dockyard
   c) It was located in Punjab
   d) It was famous for iron tools
   → Answer: b) It had the world’s earliest known dockyard

3. Who excavated Lothal?
   a) R.D. Banerjee
   b) Sir John Marshall
   c) S.R. Rao
   d) Mortimer Wheeler
   → Answer: c) S.R. Rao

4. Which of the following items were exported from Lothal?
   a) Beads and gems
   b) Iron weapons
   c) Manuscripts
   d) Silk fabrics
   → Answer: a) Beads and gems

5. Which statement is NOT correct about Lothal?
   a) It had bead-making and shell-cutting workshops
   b) It had a tidal dockyard
   c) It was located on the Indus River
   d) Mesopotamian seals were found here
   → Answer: c) It was located on the Indus River

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UPSC-style Mains Question (Practice)

Discuss the importance of Lothal in the maritime trade network of the Indus Valley Civilization. How does the archaeological evidence from Lothal reflect the technological achievements of the Harappans?

Important Information

Lothal is the only confirmed dockyard discovered so far in the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC).

It is considered one of the oldest dockyards in the world, dating to ~2400–1900 BCE.

Other IVC sites like Surkotada, Balakot, and Sutkagendor were coastal or near waterways, but they have not yielded dockyard evidence like Lothal.

Some scholars speculate possible port-like activities at other sites (e.g., Kuntasi in Gujarat), but archaeological confirmation of a dockyard exists only at Lothal.

Number of dockyards in IVC → One (Lothal)

Possible UPSC MCQ

Which of the following Harappan sites has yielded evidence of a dockyard?

a) Harappa

b) Mohenjodaro

c) Lothal

d) Rakhigarhi

→ Answer: c) Lothal

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