'Multi-cropping', Intercropping and Adaptation to Variable Environments in Indus South Asia

Area of Science:

• Archaeobotany
• Agricultural History
• South Asian Studies

Background:

• Past human populations employed diverse crop management strategies.
• Reconstructing these strategies offers insights into socio-economic and political dynamics.
• The Indus Civilization presents a rich case study for examining ancient agricultural practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To unpack the concept of multi-cropping within the Indus Civilization.
• To investigate the diversity and variation in Indus cropping practices.
• To link cropping strategies to broader themes of adaptation, intensification, and resilience.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of crop seed and weed assemblages from archaeological contexts.
• Interpretation of archaeobotanical data to infer cropping patterns.
• Contextual and chronological analysis of evidence across different occupation phases.

Main Results:

• Nuanced interpretations of seed and weed combinations provide evidence of specific Indus cropping strategies.
• Identified variations in cropping practices across different sites and periods.
• Demonstrated the potential for archaeobotanical data to reveal agricultural diversity.

Conclusions:

• Indus cropping strategies were diverse and complex, reflecting sophisticated management.
• Understanding these strategies is crucial for assessing the civilization's adaptation and resilience.
• Archaeobotanical evidence offers a powerful lens for exploring ancient agricultural systems and their socio-environmental contexts.