CRAFTS, TRADE AND TOWNS

CRAFTS, TRADE AND TOWNS

The period 200 Be-AD 300 was the most flourishing period in the history of crafts and commerce in ancient India. The Mahavastu catalogues 36 kinds of workers living in the town of Rajgir. The Milinda-Panho enumerates 75 occupations, 60 of which are connected with various kinds of crafts. The Telengana region of Andhra Pradesh was the richest in iron artefacts. Indian iron and steel including cutlery were exported to the Abyssinian ports, and they enjoyed great prestige in western Asia. Mathura was a great centre for the manufacture of a special type of cloth, shataka. About the beginning of the Christian era the knowledge of glass­blowing reached India and attained its peak. Artisans of this period were organised into at least 24 guilds. The leading guilds were those of the potters, metal-workers and carpen­ters. These guilds acted as bankers, financiers and trustees. They helped in making banking a widespread profession. Perhaps in no other period had money economy penetrated so deeply into the life of the common people as during this period. The material remains ascribable to the Kushan phase display urbanisation at its peak.

The foreign trade was facilitated by the infiltration of the Greeks, the Shakas, the Parthians, and the Kushans in India. Besides, while the trade of the north by sea-route was limited to the western world and China, the south carried on favourable trade by sea-route not only with China and countries of the west but also with the countries of South­East Asia. It resulted in the growth of industries and handicrafts and increased prosperity and also in the rise of an organised and powerful mercantile community. This change in economy affected the social, artistic and religious attitudes of the society which ultimately reflected in their literature, fine arts and changes in religion.

The entire Indian subcontinent was covered by differ­ent and well-connected trade routes. Pataliputra was con­nected by road with Tamluk, the chief port for trade with Burma, the east coast of India and Ceylon. Broach was still the main port for the western sea coast. Kaverippattinam in the south served the purpose of trade with the western world and the countries of South-East Asia. The chief articles of export from India were spices, perfumes, pearls, copper, sandalwood. The principal imports were cloth, glass, silver, gold. India's most lucrative foreign trade was with the Roman Empire. Central Asia was opened to trade, one trade route becoming famous later as the old Silk Route. Communication and trade with China improved.