Rig Vedic Culture Economy - Ancient India Study Materials

Economy: Agriculture

Archaeological evidence points to the development of agriculture among the Rig Vedic people.
The ploughshare is mentioned in the Rig Vedas.
The field was known as kshetra and the term krishi referred to ploughing.
The terms langla and sura referred to plough and the term sita meant the furrow created by ploughing.
Water for irrigation was probably drawn from wells by cattledriven water-lifts using pulleys.
They had knowledge of different seasons, sowing, harvesting and thrashing.
They cultivated barley (yavam) and wheat (godhuma).

Cattle rearing was an important economic activity for the Aryans, although they practiced agriculture.
Cattle were considered wealth.
The term for war in the Rig Veda was gavishthi which means search for cows (which is the contemporary term (goshti) for factions as well).
The donations to the priests were mainly cows and women slaves but not land, which reveals the importance of pastoralism.
There was no private property in land.

The Rig Veda mentions artisans such as carpenters, chariot-makers, weavers and leather-workers.
Copper metallurgy was one of the important developments of this period.
The term ayas in the Rig Veda refers to copper and bronze.
Karmara, smith, is mentioned in the Rig Veda.
Likewise, there are references to siri or yarn, indicating spinning which was done by women and to carpenters, takshan.
Weaving of clothes of wool is also referred to and obviously it was necessary in the cold weather.
Some of the crafts were fulltime crafts, involving specialists.

Trading activities were limited though traders were present during the Early Vedic period.
Panis are referred to as traders and they were perhaps caravan traders.
The word pan means barter, which was a mode of exchange.
Nishka was a gold or silver ornament used in barter.
A priest received 100 horses and 100 nishka as fee for sacrifices.
The danas and dakshinas offered to people were means of redistributing resources.
The dakshina was both a fee for a specific service and also a means of distributing wealth.
The distribution of cows helped spread pastoral activities and economic production.

Bullock carts, horses and horse-drawn chariots were used for transport.
There are references to the sea (samudra) and boats (nau). Boats driven by 100 oars are mentioned.