🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Lapis lazuli from Afghanistan has been found in Indus archaeological contexts, confirming highland connections.
The Bolan Pass, near modern Quetta in Pakistan, served as a strategic corridor between the Indus plains and highland Afghanistan. Archaeological evidence suggests that during the Mature Harappan period around 2600 BCE, trade routes crossed this pass. Lapis lazuli from Badakhshan in Afghanistan reached Indus workshops through such corridors. Control of mountain routes required logistical planning and negotiated passage. Settlements near the pass show cultural links between highland and lowland communities. Trade expanded beyond riverine and coastal networks. Mineral acquisition diversified craft industries. Geography shaped economic opportunity. The Indus sphere extended into rugged terrain.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Mountain trade routes enhanced access to precious stones and metals unavailable locally. Long-distance exchange strengthened elite display culture. Route control likely generated toll-based revenue. Interregional connectivity encouraged technological diffusion. Economic integration reduced isolation. Trade corridors transformed environmental barriers into assets. Strategic passes became economic arteries.
For caravan leaders navigating narrow valleys, success depended on alliance and endurance. The irony lies in how mountain landscapes often seen as obstacles became conduits of wealth. Harappan commerce climbed as well as sailed. Elevation did not limit ambition.
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