Harappan artisans are among the first to combine words and images

Cities sprang up along the Indus Valley in India and Pakistan beginning around 3000 bce. Distinctive seals produced there are some of the most sophisticated of the world's early works of art.

The achievements of the Indus Valley civilization are as mysterious as they are impressive. First discovered less than a hundred years ago, they seemed to be the stuff of legend because many archaeologists doubted that there were actual civilizations dating back that far in this area. Then in the 1920s, excavations revealed a huge, sprawling network of cities, stretching across present-day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It became clear that these settlements were highly organized and that their inhabitants had developed to a level of sophistication that included their own form of writing. Scripts discovered there remain one of the great mysteries of the ancient world since no one has been able to decipher their meaning. Debate still rages over why, and how, this civilization suddenly disappeared.

The twin capitals were Harappa, in the Indian Punjab, and Mohenjo Daro, on the west bank of the Indus River in Pakistan. Excavations of Mohenjo Daro show evidence of urban planning, including the earliest known example of a grid street plan. The rectangular houses enclosed a central courtyard, and the broad avenues of the city contained elaborate drainage systems. The settlement was dominated by a large citadel, which encircled the main public buildings, an assembly hall, a sizeable granary, and a great bath that was probably used for rituals. Most surprising to archaeologists are the things that were not found—no magnificent temple, no grand palace, nor any evidence of military activity.

It seems that the citizens of these early cities led peaceful, well-ordered lives, based around agriculture and trade. In fact, trading prompted the cities to produce their most notable artworks—small stamp seals made out of steatite (a

1 Seal

Artist unknown, c. 2300-1750 BCE