Bricks Beads and Bones

Subsistence Strategies

The Harappans ate a wide range of plant and animal products, including wheat, barley, pulses, and millets. Animal bones found at sites indicate that cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo, and pigs were domesticated, and evidence of terracotta models of plows shows agriculture was widely practiced.

Town Planning and Drainage System

Harappan cities were meticulously planned, often divided into a smaller raised citadel and a larger lower town. Streets were laid out in a grid pattern with a sophisticated underground drainage system connected to every house.

Craft Production and Trade

Chanhudaro was a tiny settlement dedicated exclusively to craft production, including bead making, shell cutting, and metalworking. Raw materials like lapis lazuli, carnelian, and copper were procured from local and distant regions like Oman and Mesopotamia.

The Mystery of Harappan Authority

Archaeologists remain uncertain about whether there was a single ruler or multiple rulers in Harappan society. The uniformity of artifacts, standardized brick sizes, and planned settlements point towards a strong central authority, but conclusive evidence is still lacking.

Deciphering the Script

The Harappan script remains undeciphered to this day as it is brief, written mostly on seals, and has not been linked to any known linguistic family. It was typically written from right to left.