🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Some Mesopotamian texts refer to a "Meluhhan interpreter," suggesting language barriers in trade.
Cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia dating to the third millennium BCE reference a trading partner called Meluhha. Many scholars identify Meluhha with the Indus Civilization. Texts mention imported goods such as timber, precious stones, and exotic animals. Archaeological finds of Indus seals in Mesopotamian cities support this connection. Maritime routes through the Arabian Sea likely facilitated exchange. The Mature Harappan phase coincides chronologically with Akkadian expansion. Documentary evidence complements material discovery. Trade was recognized across civilizations. The Indus world was known by name abroad.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Systemically, written reference in foreign archives confirms Harappan participation in interregional diplomacy and commerce. Exchange networks connected South Asia with West Asia. Economic integration extended beyond physical artifacts into recorded memory. Maritime coordination required navigational skill. Cross-cultural recognition reinforced trade reliability. Civilization entered foreign ledgers. Commerce crossed scripts.
For Indus merchants, overseas trade meant interaction with unfamiliar languages and markets. Goods shipped from dockyards arrived in distant ports. Traders navigated tides and politics alike. Children in Indus cities encountered foreign objects through exchange. Identity expanded beyond local river systems. The world extended westward. Trade carried reputation.
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