Harappan crafts display an amazing degree of standardization. Accordin

Harappan crafts display an amazing degree of standardization. According to Kenoyer, what was the possible reason for such an achievement ?

Availability of raw materials at local level
Centralized markets for crafts
Specialized training centres for craftsmen
State control
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2015
The correct answer is D) State control. According to archaeologist Jonathan Mark Kenoyer and other scholars, the remarkable degree of standardization observed in Harappan crafts (such as weights, measures, bricks, and certain pottery and bead types) suggests a high level of centralized organization, often interpreted as a form of ‘state control’ or central authority regulating production and trade.
– Standardization in Harappan crafts is seen across vast geographical distances, indicating a unified system of production and quality control.
– While availability of raw materials, markets, and training centres are factors in craft production, they don’t fully explain the widespread uniformity.
– A central authority (interpreted as state control in archaeological terms, though the nature of Harappan governance is debated) would be necessary to enforce such uniform standards across a large empire.
Evidence for this standardization includes the consistent ratio of brick sizes (typically 1:2:4), standardized weights following a specific binary and decimal system, and uniformity in seals and certain artifact types. This organization facilitated long-distance trade and internal exchange within the civilization. Kenoyer’s research, particularly on crafts like bead-making and seal production, supports the idea of highly organized systems, likely involving a central authority.