Harappa
Learn about Harappa — one of the great cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, with standardized architecture, advanced drainage, and mysterious seals.
Harappa, located in the Punjab region of modern Pakistan, was one of the two great urban centers of the Indus Valley Civilization. First excavated in the 1920s, the site revealed a city of remarkable planning and standardization. Streets were laid out in a grid pattern, buildings constructed from uniformly sized bricks, and an elaborate drainage system managed wastewater — a level of municipal engineering not seen again in the subcontinent for thousands of years.
The city likely housed 23,000 to 35,000 people at its peak around 2500 BCE. Archaeological evidence reveals a society engaged in long-distance trade — Harappan seals and goods have been found as far away as Mesopotamia. The distinctive square seals, inscribed with the still-undeciphered Indus script and images of animals, suggest a sophisticated system of identification and commerce.
Harappa's significance extends beyond its physical remains. Along with Mohenjo-daro, it demonstrates that the Indus Valley produced a civilization as complex and innovative as its contemporaries in Egypt and Mesopotamia — one that chose different paths in urban design, governance, and cultural expression.