SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The basic factors in the production of wealth in northern and western India during the period c.200 B.C.- A.D.300 have been studied in this dissertation. In the introductory chapter, after reviewing the source materials a brief survey of the major political events of our time has been made. Next, we have discussed the various aspects of land and agriculture - ownership of land, revenue system, cattle breeding, irrigation and the condition of cultivators. In the section on industry, the manufacture of metal objects, textiles, glass products and the system of industrial organisation have been studied in detail. The major part of our work is devoted to the study of trade and commerce, particularly trading abroad. In our period India had wide commercial relations with Mediterranean countries. Central Asia and China, and South East Asia, and these are discussed region by region. There are three short appendices on the Kusana gold coins, the exchange of coins at Barygaza and a few notes on ancient Indian metallurgy.