New excavations at the ancient port city of Lothal have revealed a unique set of 4,000-year-old bronze scales inlaid with lapis lazuli. Archaeologists believe these were not used for everyday trade but were central to the Festival of the Divine Measure, a Harappan ritual where surplus grain was symbolically weighed and redistributed to ensure communal prosperity during the summer solstice.
This find suggests that the Indus Valley Civilization integrated economic activities with sacred festivals. The scales were found in a dedicated ritual pavilion overlooking the dockyards, indicating that the festival served to bless the maritime trade routes and the cultural traditions that connected the region to ancient Mesopotamia.