Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro: iconic Indus Valley site with the Great Bath, grid-planned streets, and the Pashupati Seal. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The most extensively excavated IVC site. UNESCO World Heritage since 1980. Demonstrates urban sophistication rivaling contemporary Mesopotamia and Egypt.
Overview
Mohenjo-daro ('Mound of the Dead') in Sindh is the most iconic Indus-Saraswati Civilization site, first excavated by R.D. Banerji in 1922. The city's grid-planned streets, covered drains, multi-story houses, and the Great Bath demonstrate an urban sophistication unmatched in the Bronze Age. The Pashupati Seal — depicting a seated figure in a yogic posture surrounded by animals — has been interpreted by some scholars as a Proto-Shiva image, suggesting continuity between IVC religion and later Hinduism. The Dancing Girl bronze, a masterpiece of lost-wax casting, represents craft specialization at its peak. The site lacks monumental palaces or temples, leading some scholars to theorize a non-monarchical governance system. Mohenjo-daro was abandoned around 1,900 BCE — correlating with the broader IVC decline associated with the Saraswati drying and the 4.2 kiloyear drought event.
Key Findings
- 1Great Bath — world's earliest known public water tank
- 2Grid-planned city with advanced drainage and sanitation
- 3Pashupati Seal — seated yogic figure with animals (Proto-Shiva debate)
- 4Dancing Girl bronze — among the finest Bronze Age metalwork