Harappa

The type site of the Bronze Age Indus Valley Civilisation, located in Punjab, Pakistan, on the left bank of the now-dry Ravi River. First excavated in 1921 under Sir John Hubert Marshall, Harappa was the first IVC site identified, pushing back knowledge of Indian prehistory to about 2500 BC. At its peak during the Mature Harappan phase (2600-1900 BC), the city housed up to 23,500 residents across 150 hectares. Excavations revealed a fortified citadel, workers' quarters in a grid pattern, granary buildings totaling over 9,000 square feet, and distinctive steatite seals with pictographic inscriptions. The site demonstrates sophisticated urban planning, drainage systems, and administrative control characteristic of the civilization.