Archaeologists at a newly identified Indus Valley outpost in Haryana have discovered a specialized industrial wing for the production of red and black sealing wax. The facility includes a series of small, charcoal-fired furnaces and vitrified ceramic vats containing hardened residues of lac and various mineral pigments. This discovery provides the first direct look at the chemical processes behind the famous Harappan administrative seals.
The laboratory was strategically located near the city’s trade gates, suggesting that merchants were sealing their goods for export on-site. The team also found several stone pestles and mortars used to grind minerals into fine powders for resin coloration. This find emphasizes the high level of proto-industrial standardization achieved by Harappan craftsmen in managing commercial security.