Harappa 1

Harappa

Harappa

Harappa

Coordinates: 30°38′N 72°52′E

Country  Pakistan

Province Punjab

District Sahiwal District

Tehsil

Time zone Pakistan Standard Time (UTC+5)

Harappa (Urdu/Punjabi: ہڑپہ, pronounced [ɦəɽəppaː]) is an archaeological site in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, about35 km (22 mi) west of Sahiwal. The site takes its name from a modern village located near the former course of theRavi River. The current village of Harappa is 6 km (4 mi) from the ancient site. Although modern Harappa has atrain station left from the British times, it is today just a small (pop. 15,000) crossroads town.The site of the ancient city contains the ruins of a Bronze Age fortified city, which was part of the Cemetery Hculture and the Indus Valley Civilization, centered in Sindh and the Punjab.[1] The city is believed to have had asmany as 23,500 residents—considered large for its time.The ancient city of Harappa was greatly destroyed under the British Raj, when bricks from the ruins were used astrack ballast in the making of the Lahore-Multan Railroad.In 2005, a controversial amusement park scheme at the site was abandoned when builders unearthed manyarchaeological artifacts during the early stages of construction work. A plea from the prominent Pakistaniarchaeologist Ahmed Hasan Dani to the Ministry of Culture resulted in a restoration of the site.[2]

Harappa 2

History

Location of Harappa in the Indus Valley and extent of Indus ValleyCivilization (green).

The Indus Valley Civilization (also known as Harappanculture) has its earliest roots in cultures such as that ofMehrgarh, approximately 6000 BCE. The two greatestcities, Mohenjo-daro and Harappa, emerged circa 2600BCE along the Indus River valley in Punjab andSindh.[3] The civilization, with a writing system, urbancenters, and diversified social and economic system,was rediscovered in the 1920s after excavations atMohenjo-daro (which means "mound of the dead") inSindh near Sukkur, and Harappa, in west Punjab southof Lahore. A number of other sites stretching from theHimalayan foothills in east Punjab, India in the north,to Gujarat in the south and east, and to Balochistan inthe west have also been discovered and studied.Although the archaeological site at Harappa waspartially damaged in 1857 when engineers constructingthe Lahore-Multan railroad (as part of the Sind andPunjab Railway), used brick from the Harappa ruins fortrack ballast, an abundance of artifacts has neverthelessbeen found.[4]

Culture and economy

Coach driver 2000 B.C.E. Harappa, Indus ValleyCivilization

Indus Valley civilization was mainly an urban culture sustained bysurplus agricultural production and commerce, the latter includingtrade with Sumer in southern Mesopotamia. Both Mohenjo-daroand Harappa are generally characterized as having "differentiatedliving quarters, flat-roofed brick houses, and fortifiedadministrative or religious centers."[5] Although such similaritieshave given rise to arguments for the existence of a standardizedsystem of urban layout and planning, the similarities are largelydue to the presence of a semi-orthogonal type of civic layout, anda comparison of the layouts of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa showsthat they are in fact, arranged in a quite dissimilar fashion. Thechert weights and measures of the Indus Valley Civilization, onthe other hand, were highly standardized, and conform to a set

scale of gradations. Distinctive seals were used, among other applications, perhaps for identification of property andshipment of goods. Although copper and bronze were in use, iron was not yet employed. "Cotton was woven anddyed for clothing; wheat, rice, and a variety of vegetables and fruits were cultivated; and a number of animals,including the humped bull, were domesticated."[5] Wheel-made pottery—some of it adorned with animal andgeometric motifs—has been found in profusion at all the major Indus sites. A centralized administration for eachcity, though not the whole civilization, has been inferred from the revealed cultural uniformity; however, it remainsuncertain whether authority lay with a commercial oligarchy. There appears to be a complete lack of priestly "pompor lavish display" that was common in other civilizations.

Harappa 3

Archaeology

Remains from the final phase of the Harappa occupation: Alarge well and bathing platforms

Miniature Votive Images or Toy Models fromHarappa, ca. 2500. Hand-modeled terra-cotta

figurines with polychromy.

By far the most exquisite and obscure artefacts unearthed todate are the small, square steatite (soapstone) sealsengraved with human or animal motifs. A large number ofseals have been found at such sites as Mohenjo-daro andHarappa. Many bear pictographic inscriptions generallythought to be a form of writing or script. Despite the effortsof philologists from all parts of the world, and despite theuse of modern cryptographic analysis, the signs remainundeciphered. It is also unknown if they reflectproto-Dravidian or other non-Vedic language(s). Theascription of Indus Valley Civilization iconography andepigraphy to historically known cultures is extremelyproblematic, in part due to the rather tenuousarchaeological evidence of such claims, as well as theprojection of modern South Asian political concerns ontothe archaeological record of the area. This is especiallyevident in the radically varying interpretations of Harappanmaterial culture as seen from both Pakistan and India-basedscholars.

Notes

Harappa. Fragment of Large DeepVessel, circa 2500 B.C.E. Red pottery

with red and black slip-painteddecoration, 4 15/16 x 6 1/8 in. (12.5 x

15.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum

• The earliest radiocarbon dating mentioned on the web is 2725+-185 BCE(uncalibrated) or 3338, 3213, 3203 BCE calibrated, giving a midpoint of3251 BCE. Kenoyer, Jonathan Mark (1991) Urban process in the IndusTradition: A preliminary report. In Harappa Excavations, 1986-1990: Amultidisciplinary approach to Second Millennium urbanism, edited byRichard H. Meadow: 29-59. Monographs in World Archaeology No.3.Prehistory Press, Madison Wisconsin.

• Periods 4 and 5 are not dated at Harappa. The termination of the Harappantradition at Harappa falls between 1900 and 1500 BCE.

• Mohenjo-daro is another major city of the same period, located in Sindhprovince of Pakistan. One of its most well-known structures is the Great Bathof Mohenjo-daro.

Harappa 4

• Dholavira is an ancient Metropolitan City. The Harappans used roughly the same size bricks and weights as wereused in other Indus cities, such as Mohenjo Daro and Dholavira. These cities were well planned with wide streets,public and private wells, drains, bathing platforms and reservoirs.

References[1] Basham, A. L. 1968. Review (http:/ / www. jstor. org/ view/ 0030851x/ dm991959/ 99p1005f/ 0) of A Short History of Pakistan by A. H.

Dani (with an introduction by I. H. Qureshi). Karachi: University of Karachi Press. 1967 Pacific Affairs 41(4) : 641-643.[2] Tahir, Zulqernain. 26 May 2005. Probe body on Harappa park (http:/ / www. dawn. com/ 2005/ 05/ 26/ nat24. htm), Dawn. Retrieved 13

January 2006.[3] Beck, Roger B.; Linda Black Ops, Larry S. Krieger, Phillip C. Naylor, Dahia Ibo Shabaka, (1999). World History: Patterns of Interaction.

Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell. ISBN 0-395-87274-X.[4] Kenoyer, J.M., 1997, Trade and Technology of the Indus Valley: New insights from Harappa Pakistan, World Archaeology, 29(2), pp.

260-280, High definition archaeology[5] Library of Congress: Country Studies. 1995. Harappan Culture (http:/ / ancienthistory. about. com/ od/ indusvalleyciv/ a/ harappanculture.

htm). Retrieved 13 January 2006.

External links• Harappa.com (http:/ / www. harappa. com)

Article Sources and Contributors 5

Article Sources and ContributorsHarappa  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=443837251  Contributors: 200.191.188.xxx, A.Ou, Adamsan, Ahsaniqbal 93, Airknight, Alansohn, AllegraMackenzie, Alpha 4615,Anclation, Andonic, Angel ivanov angelov, Aphaia, Apparition11, Arthena, Arvind Iyengar, Ayush.dh 96, BanyanTree, Bejnar, Ben-Zin, Bhadani, Bobo192, Burschik, Cacahuate, Cap59,ClassicalPiano66, Conversion script, Copana2002, Cpuwhiz11, Crusoe8181, DaGizza, DadaNeem, Dangerous-Boy, Danish47, Darth Mike, Dbachmann, Dcudancer, Deeptrivia, DerHexer,Dewan357, Discospinster, Dougweller, Dr. Blofeld, DragonHawk, Drshivam, ESkog, Eddie.poker2010, Edward321, Edwy, Ekabhishek, Elockid, Excirial, Fconaway, Fg2, Florian Blaschke,Folks at 137, Fowler&fowler, Fshy, Fæ, Generalmiaow, Ghaag, Ghepeu, Ghirlandajo, Glenn, Godanov, Godardesque, Goethean, Grafen, Graham87, Grsz11, Gurch, Hagedis, Hbent, HennessyC,Heron, Howellbm, II MusLiM HyBRiD II, Igoldste, ImperatorExercitus, Irfan82, IrishPete, Islescape, J. Spencer, Ja 62, Jagged 85, Jeff G., Jncraton, Johnbibby, Jojhutton, Josh Grosse,Katalaveno, Kesh, Kgonsal, Khalid Mahmood, Khalil Sawant, Khazar, Khoikhoi, Kingturtle, Kintetsubuffalo, KnightRider, KnowledgeOfSelf, Kwamikagami, Kyrem, LadyInGrey, Lesnail,Lightmouse, Lothar von Richthofen, Mandarax, Mar4d, Maxima m, Michale245, Misaq Rabab, Mr Stephen, MrVacBob, MrWhich, Myznt, NHJG, NHRHS2010, Nasica, Netpilot43556,Nijgoykar, Nishkid64, Obed Suhail, Ohnoitsjamie, Olivier, Onceonthisisland, Oxymoron83, Paul Barlow, Pauli133, Pearle, Petri Krohn, PiMaster3, Piano non troppo, Pip2andahalf, Pizza Puzzle,Podzemnik, RadioFan2 (usurped), Radon210, Rahulnraul, Randomeric, Rayjameson, Rdodhia, RexxS, Rich Farmbrough, Rickyrab, Rjwilmsi, Robheart, Robrogan, Roylee, Rumpelstiltskin223,S. M. Sullivan, SD5, SJP, Samir, Sandstone8824, SchfiftyThree, Scientizzle, Sfxdude, Shubhampat95, Siddiqui, Silentkillar911, Sindhutvavadin, Sm18, Snowolf, Some jerk on the Internet, Sp,Spasage, Srkris, Sukh, Summer Song, Szhaider, TShilo12, TexasAndroid, Thecheesykid, Thisguy12, TiYiJian, Tide rolls, Timotheos, Tommy2010, Uncle Dick, UncleDouggie, Unyoyega,Urnonav, Utcursch, Venu62, VickSPaul, Vkvora2001, Vmrgrsergr, Warofdreams, Webkami, WikipedianMarlith, William Avery, Woohookitty, Xenos 81, Xinjao, Yom, Zacmds, Zkip, Zundark,అహ్మద్ నిసార్, 377 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributorsfile:Pakistan location map.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Pakistan_location_map.svg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors:NordNordWestFile:Red pog.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Red_pog.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: AnduxFile:Flag of Pakistan.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Pakistan.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Abaezriv, AnonMoos, Badseed, Dbenbenn,Duduziq, F. F. Fjodor, Fry1989, Gabbe, Himasaram, Homo lupus, Juiced lemon, Klemen Kocjancic, Mattes, Mollajutt, Neq00, Pumbaa80, Rfc1394, Srtxg, TFCforever, ThomasPusch, Túrelio,Zscout370, 9 anonymous editsImage:CiviltàValleIndoMappa.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:CiviltàValleIndoMappa.png  License: GNU Free Documentation License  Contributors: Ekabhishek,Jungpionier, MM, Roland zhFile:Coach driver Indus 01.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Coach_driver_Indus_01.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors:Miya.mFile:WellAndBathingPlatforms-Harappa.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:WellAndBathingPlatforms-Harappa.jpg  License: Creative CommonsAttribution-Sharealike 3.0  Contributors: Obed SuhailFile:Harappan small figures.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Harappan_small_figures.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0  Contributors: Trish Mayofrom New York, USFile:Red pottery, IVC.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Red_pottery,_IVC.jpg  License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0  Contributors: amy dreher from Brooklyn,NY, United States

LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unportedhttp:/ / creativecommons. org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3. 0/