Society & Economy
Post Gupta Period - General Knowledge of Ancient History: After the Gupta period Overview Of Society and how advanced the kingdom was in agriculture, trade and economy.
OVERVIEW OF SOCIETY
Many important changes took place in the Indian society after the Gupta period. Land grants helped feudal development in India from the fifth century AD onwards. The peasants stayed on in the land given to the feudal lords. In these the villages which were transferred were known as 'Sthan-Jana-Sahita' and 'Samariddha'. Due to the decline in trade and commerce in the post-Gupta period, the economy there had been transformed into a closed economy.
The development of feudal society had weakened the position of the king, due to which the king had to depend more on the feudal chiefs. The dominance of the feudal chiefs started increasing as a result of which the self-government of the village was weakened.
More General Knowledge of Ancient History
The four varnas mentioned in the writings of Hiuen Tsang existed in the society. Many sub-castes also existed which became more dominant at that time. The condition of women deteriorated during this period. Sati system and dowry system had become common.
Girls started getting married between the ages of six and eight. The common woman was not believed. They were kept separate. Women's lives were generally controlled by their male relatives such as sons, fathers, and brothers.
ECONOMY
Literary and epigraphical evidences during the period of Harsha's rule show how advanced the kingdom was in agriculture, trade and economy. Early Arab writers also describe the fertility of the soil and rich cultivation. The litterateur Abhidhan Ratnamal has mentioned that the soil was classified into different types like fertile, barren, desert, excellent etc. He also mentions that different plains were selected for different types of crops.
Textile was one of the oldest industries in the field of industry. The occupations of weaver, dyer, tailor etc. have been described in the contemporary literature. Metal working was also extremely popular during this period. Some centers of metal industry were famous. Saurashtra was famous for its Ghanti (Bell) metal industry while Vanga (Bengal) was known for its tin industry.
After the Gupta period, there was a significant increase in trade with South East Asia. The flow of trade between East and West through India is mentioned in Arab, Chinese and Indian sources. India exported sandalwood, pearls, camphor, cotton, metals, precious and semi-precious stones. Imported items included hired horses. Horses were imported from Central and Western Asia. Shrines or bodies were important in the Gupta period.
Tags
Ancient History