Harappa
Harappa: the type site of the Indus Valley Civilization. Standardized weights, granary systems, and the origin of 'Harappan' archaeology.
The first-discovered major IVC site (Alexander Cunningham, 1872). Provided the name for the entire civilization and critical evidence for its urban character.
Overview
Harappa in Punjab was the first major Indus-Saraswati site to be identified, initially noted by Charles Masson in 1842 and later investigated by Alexander Cunningham. Major excavations by Mortimer Wheeler, M.S. Vats, and later R. Meadow and J.M. Kenoyer revealed a walled city with distinct citadel and residential areas. The granary complex, with rows of brick platforms near the river, suggests organized food storage and distribution. Harappa's standardized weights — based on a binary-decimal system — were used identically across IVC sites separated by hundreds of kilometers, implying either centralized authority or deeply shared cultural norms. Cemetery H culture (post-Harappan) shows cultural transformation rather than violent destruction, supporting the gradual-decline model over invasion theories. The site was heavily damaged by 19th-century British railway construction, which used ancient bricks as ballast.
Key Findings
- 1Type site that gave the 'Harappan' civilization its name
- 2Sophisticated granary system suggesting organized food distribution
- 3Standardized weights and measures used across the civilization
- 4Cemetery R-37 and Cemetery H provide late/post-Harappan cultural sequences