Harappa

Harappa is an archaeological site in Punjab, Pakistan, about 24 kilometres (15 miles) west of Sahiwal. It takes its name from a modern village near the former course of the Ravi River, which now runs eight kilometres (five miles) to the north.

The city of Harappa is believed to have been home to as many as 23,500 people and covered about 150 hectares (370 acres) during its peak in the Mature Harappan phase, from 2600 BC to 1900 BC. For its time, this was a very large settlement, featuring houses made from clay bricks.

Unfortunately, the ancient city suffered significant damage during British rule, as bricks from its ruins were used to build the Lahore–Multan Railway. Today, the modern village of Harappa, with around 15,000 people, stands close to the ancient site and has a historic railway station from that era. In 2004, Harappa was added to the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites. An amusement park planned for the site was stopped in 2005 after builders uncovered many important archaeological artefacts during early construction.

History

The Harappan Civilization began around 6000 BC, with early roots in places like Mehrgarh. Its two largest cities, Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, appeared around 2600 BC near the Indus River valley. These cities had advanced features such as drainage systems and organized layouts.

As time passed, changes in climate and falling sea-levels caused some areas to be abandoned. The civilization slowly declined, with its mature phase lasting from 2600 BC to 2000 BC. The decline was likely due to natural changes in the environment, not invasions.

Culture and economy

The Indus Valley civilization was an urban culture that thrived on extra food from farming and trade. They traded with places like Elam, Sumer, and southern Mesopotamia. Both Mohenjo-daro and Harappa had special living areas, brick houses with flat roofs, and strong centers that may have been for leaders or religious purposes.

People in Harappa used standard weights and measures and made distinctive seals for tracking goods. They wove and dyed cotton for clothes and grew wheat, rice, and many vegetables. Animals like the humped bull were domesticated, and they even kept fowl for fighting. They made lots of pottery, some with pictures of animals and shapes. Harappans traded along the Indus River as far as the Persian Gulf, Mesopotamia, and Egypt, trading valuable items like carnelian and lapis lazuli.

Trade

The people of Harappa traded with ancient lands such as Mesopotamia, especially Elam. They sent cotton clothes and farm goods to these places. Their merchants even set up trading centers in Mesopotamia. They also traded with folks in southern India, close to today's Karnataka, to get valuable materials like gold and copper.

Archaeology

See also: Harappan architecture

Significance

Harappa is the type site of the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation ("IVC"). It was the first IVC site to be excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India during the British Raj. Its importance became clearer after the discovery of Mohenjo-daro in Sindh, Pakistan. Because of this, the IVC is sometimes called the "Harappan civilisation," especially by the Archaeological Survey of India after decolonization in 1947.

Chronology

The people at Harappa lived there in several periods:

1. Ravi Aspect of the Hakra phase, around 3300 – 2800 BC
2. Kot Dijian (Early Harappan) phase, around 2800 – 2600 BC
3. Harappan Phase, around 2600 – 1900 BC
4. Transitional Phase, around 1900 – 1800 BC
5. Late Harappan Phase, around 1800 – 1300 BC

During the Harappan Phase, the city covered about 150 hectares (370 acres), making it one of the largest settlements of its time. Archaeologists have found many small, square steatite (soapstone) seals with pictures of animals and people. These seals have markings that might be an early form of writing, but we still do not understand what they mean. The Indus Valley Civilisation stretched across a very large area, covering around 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi).

Symbols similar to the Indus script

Archaeologists found clay and stone tablets at Harappa dating back to between 3300 and 3200 BC. These tablets have trident-shaped and plant-like markings that resemble what later became known as the Indus Script. Experts aren't sure if these markings can be called true writing, but they appear earlier than similar symbols found in Mesopotamia.

In 2006, a teacher in Tamil Nadu found a stone tool with markings that some believe may also be in the Indus Script. This discovery led some to think the people of the Indus Valley might have spoken a Dravidian language, though this idea remains debated among researchers.

Dating

Harappa has some interesting statues, like the famous Harappa male dancer. Scientists use a method called radiocarbon dating to guess when Harappa was busy, and their studies suggest it was around the year 3251 BC.

Another big city from the same time is Mohenjo-daro, located in Sindh province of Pakistan. One of its famous buildings is the Great Bath of Mohenjo-Daro.