Indus Civilization peoples, although heavy consumers of copper and skilled producers of copper-alloy implements, still chose to utilize chert to manufacture many of the tools (blades, drills, scrapers, awls, etc.) that they used in their daily lives. >

Steatite – a rock composed primarily of the mineral talc ( hydrous magnesium silicate) in its massive form, was undoubtedly a material of tremendous importance at Harappa. Artifacts made from it comprise nearly 40% of the site’s rock and mineral assemblage. >

The roughly 4700 finished objects (mostly ornaments but also the occasional stone weight) and pieces of raw material or manufacturing debris from Harappa that have been designated agate or jasper exhibit a bewildering range of macroscopic variability. >

In this chapter, I examine a distinctive translucent g reen to yellowish-g reen rock that has been recovered at Harappa in the form of beads, amulets and manufacturing debris. >

The mineral gypsum – hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO4•2H2O), is found in many forms at Indus Civilization sites. Transparent tabular crystals known as selenite have been recovered at Harappa. >

Limestone – a massive rock predominately composed of calcium carbonate – was, on the whole, used to create objects larger than are typically found at Harappa. >

Of the many rock and mineral varieties found at Indus Civilization sites, archaeologists have by far expended the most time and effort in the study of artifacts made of metals, in particular copper. >

The principal research objective of this study was to locate the geologic sources of the rock and mineral resources acquired by the ancient residents of Harappa. >

All the books many detailed Appendices and definitions, including a discussion of "Provenance," by the author: "I have always understood the former term to mean a thing’s place of origin or source and the latter term to mean a thing’s history going back to and including it’s origin or source." >