Indus Valley, 4.500-4.000 BC. Beautifully polished marble and stone cubical weights in graduated sizes. Found near one of the most important archaeological sites, Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, where Indus Valley civilisations of Bronze Age fully flourished. These weights conform to the standard Harappan binary weight system that was used in all of the settlements. Therefore, they are common artefacts on most archeological sites and may have been used for controlling trade and possibly for collecting taxes and even, in architecture. Building tools and materials could have been weighted to make sure they matched uniformly.
Provenance: Private collection of a German artist and collector living in Southeast Asia. Condition: Very good condition with some small traces of use and wear, some chips and losses of material.