Kot Bala

Kot Bala (Balakot) is an archaeological site in Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan, about 55 miles north of Karachi on Sonmiani Bay. Dating to c. 4000 BC, it is one of five known coastal settlements of the Indus Civilization, predating the Mature Harappan period by centuries. Excavations by UC Berkeley from 1973 revealed two distinct shell-working industries: Meretrix bivalve bangles and conch shell ornamental objects. The site likely served as a maritime trade hub linking the Indus Valley with the Arabian Peninsula.