Harappa

Harappa is an archaeological site in the Punjab region of present-day Pakistan, situated along the Ravi River near the town of Harappa. It was a major urban center of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), one of the world's earliest urban cultures, with a Mature Harappan phase dating roughly from 2600 to 1900 BCE.

Excavations in the early 20th century by the Archaeological Survey of India revealed a well-planned city with a grid-like street pattern, evidence of advanced water management and drainage systems, and substantial brick architecture. Public buildings, granaries, workshops, and several raised platforms indicate organized administration and craft production.

Artifacts from Harappa include pottery, seals, beads, and figurines. The site yields Indus-style seals and inscriptions, written in the still undeciphered Harappan script, alongside material culture that shows long-distance connections, including trade with Mesopotamia.

Harappa and other sites of the IVC show a distinctive material culture, planned urbanism, standardized fired-brick construction, and social organization, but the reasons for the civilization's decline around 1900 BCE are debated and may involve environmental changes, river dynamics, and sociopolitical factors.

Today Harappa is a protected archaeological site and part of the broader recognition of the Indus Valley Civilization, which is a UNESCO World Heritage designation. Ongoing research continues to shed light on urban planning, economy, and daily life in this early urban society.