Harappa

Quick Facts: Who was Harappa?

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Harappa

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Major Bronze Age urban center of the Indus Valley Civilization in modern-day Pakistan.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Harappa (Punjabi pronunciation: [ɦəɽəˈpaː]) was a settlement in Punjab, Pakistan, about 24 kilometres (15 miles) west of Sahiwal, that takes its name from a modern village near the former course of the Ravi River. The Ravi now runs eight kilometres (five miles) to the north. The city of Harappa is believed to have had as many as 23,500 residents and occupied about 150 hectares (370 acres) with clay brick houses, at its greatest extent during the Mature Harappan phase (2600 BC – 1900 BC), which is considered large for its time. The ancient city of Harappa was heavily damaged under British rule when bricks from the ruins were used as track ballast to construct the Lahore–Multan Railway. The current village of Harappa is less than one kilometre (5⁄8 mi) from the ancient site.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Although modern Harappa has a legacy railway station from the Raj period, it is a small crossroads town of 15,000 people today. In 2004, the site was added to the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 2005, a controversial amusement park scheme at the site was abandoned when builders unearthed many archaeological artefacts during the early stages of building work. The Harappan Civilization has its earliest roots in cultures such as that of Mehrgarh, around 5200 BC. The two greatest cities, Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, emerged along the Indus River valley in Punjab and Sindh.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The civilization, with a possible writing system, urban centres, drainage infrastructure and diversified social and economic system, was rediscovered in the 1920s also after excavations at Mohenjo-daro in Sindh near Larkana, and Harappan cities, in west Punjab south of Lahore. A number of other sites stretching from the Himalayan foothills in the East Punjab, to Gujarat in the southeast, and Balochistan, Pakistan in the southwest, have also been discovered and studied. Although the archaeological site at Harappa was damaged in 1857 when engineers constructing the Lahore-Multan railway used bricks from the ruins for track ballast, an abundance of artefacts has nevertheless been recovered. Due to falling sea-levels, certain regions were abandoned during the late Harappan period. In its later stages, the Harappan civilization lost features such as writing and hydraulic engineering.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1857: 1857 Milestone — Although the archaeological site at Harappa was damaged in 1857 when engineers constructing the Lahore-Multan railway used bricks from the ruins for track ballast, an abundance of artefacts has nevertheless been recovered.
2. 1900: 1900 Milestone — The city of Harappa is believed to have had as many as 23,500 residents and occupied about 150 hectares (370 acres) with clay brick houses, at its greatest extent during the Mature Harappan phase (2600 BC – 1900 BC), which is considered large for its time.
3. 2004: 2004 Milestone — In 2004, the site was added to the tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
4. 2005: 2005 Milestone — In 2005, a controversial amusement park scheme at the site was abandoned when builders unearthed many archaeological artefacts during the early stages of building work.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Harappa

True or False: “The Harappan civilization was definitively destroyed by a massive invasion force from outside its geographical region.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Evidence strongly suggests that the decline of the civilization was due to natural causes, such as gradual climate change leading to increased aridity.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Harappa