Bricks Beads and Bones

Subsistence Strategies

Harappans ate a wide range of plant and animal products, including wheat, barley, lentils, chickpea, and sesame. Animal bones found at sites indicate they domesticated cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo, and pig.

Town Planning and Drainage System

Harappan cities were divided into a smaller, higher western citadel and a larger, lower eastern residential town, featuring meticulously planned grid-iron street layouts and covered brick-lined drainage systems.

Craft Production in Chanhudaro

Chanhudaro was a tiny settlement dedicated exclusively to craft production, including bead making, shell cutting, metalworking, seal making, and weight making using raw materials like carnelian, jasper, and steatite.

The Mystery of Harappan Script

The Harappan script remains undeciphered to this day; it was not alphabetical, had too many signs (between 375 and 400), and was generally written from right to left.

Problems of Archaeological Interpretation

Archaeologists reconstruct religious beliefs and social structures by classifying finds into utilitarian and luxury items, and comparing unfamiliar artifacts with familiar modern religious practices.