DDK HistoryF.p65 - CSIR

[3.2
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS 60
We know a good deal 9 from the Babylonian end of insurance, risks,
loans, division of profit, as well as the monopolist alik Tilmun
merchants of Bahrein. In the later period, the Assyrian king seems
to have been the special patron, virtually senior partner, of the merchants’
association for this trade. That they imported copper, ivory, monkeys,
pearls (“fish-eyes”) and such novelties, is attested by cuneiform records;
all of these came in some quantity from India.’ Ivory combs listed in
Babylonian documents have been found at Mohenjo-daro (fig. 7), which
was probably the Babylonian Meluhha. The Indus merchants or their
close representatives had small settlements in Mesopotamia indicated
by characteristic cult (fig. 8)
Fig. 7. Fig. 8.
Fig. 7. Comb from Mohenjo-daro; the identical type is still being
made of ivory in India.
Fig. 8. Fragment of a cultic steatite vase from Tell Agrab circa 2800-2600 B.C.,
with an Indus type humped bull, manger, and a fowl of some kind.
objects and seals. That they exported cotton cloth is highly probable,
possibly also fine goat-wool cloth ; textiles were the most easily
transported and most valuable exchange merchandise of the alik
Tilmun. What the Indians brought back is not certain, but silver was
unquestionably one of the commodities. The metal is comparatively
scarce in India, while pieces have been found at Mohenjo-daro 10 of a
weight standard that does not seem local. One of these, neatly broken
off from a silver ingot (presumably for exchange before the days of
regular coinage), has cuneiform marks punched on either side.