Granary
Praying site…? Palace…? State bank…?
In the north of the circle worker’s place and in the north-west area of the city, present on the southern corner of the great passing way of the river Ravi, the most important building is “Granary”. This granary is 40 meters long and 35 meters wide. According to the measurement of Mr. Vatts the granary is 40 meters east-west and 50 meters north-south.
There are two parts of the vast building of the granary. In between of the both parts there is an almost 5 foot street passing in the north-south. In the lines of 6, there are 12 rooms of the granary. Every hall is 15.2x6.1 meters. According to some experts the size of every granary is 20x55 foot. These rooms were made on a 4 foot high platform. Every room was actually a big hall, the floor of which was made of wood. The room was built in such way that fresh air could pass.
To take wheat to the room and to come and go, there were stairs at one side. The reason that the granary of Harappa was made on the corner of river Ravi so that the people and farmers around Harappa could take their wheat to Harappa with the help of boats first and then exported it to other cities, far areas and countries, that is why the door was on the side of river.
The granary of Harappa was even bigger than the granary of Mohenjo-Daro. In this vast building, there were bundles of wheat and on the time of need, they were sent to other areas. Some experts even think that in that era, wheat was the biggest currency and economy even in businesses, it was used instead of coins. So, the granary of Harappa was a government treasury or a state bank from which servants, labors and workers were paid in the form of wheat.
The same thing happened in Iraq for example a writing
discovered from UR, which shows that there in a vast granary, there was so much
wheat and its bundles that could be enough to pay for the labor or work of
11 years or 4020 days. About the Granaries of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro,
American expert archeologist Dr. J.M. Mark Canoir think that no one actually
knows that for what function those buildings were built so it is possible that
they are palaces, pray sites, assembly halls or some big stores. Sometimes the
experts think that those buildings are of granaries. The structure of the
granaries of Pasco match with those granaries of Harappa.
Cemetery H
Fractional burial
This graveyard is located in exact north of the cemetery R-37 and in south of mound AB. Madhosrop Vatts dug here from 1926 till 1934 and discovered a vast cemetery. It was related to those people who were the reasons of the downfall of Harappa. These people were related to almost the descendants of Aryans. After the fall and end of Harappa civilization after 1750 BC, these people came and lived here.
1. Some people used to do fractional burial. They used to bury the head and bones of a dead body in colorful pots. They put the dead bodies somewhere in open air, where animals used to eat their meat or their meat just decomposed there, after that the remains like bones etc. were put into big and strong pots of mud.
2. Some people buried the dead bodies in graves. Here, almost more than two dozens of skeletons have been discovered. Normally the head of the dead body was in the direction of east, the knees were bent and feet were in the direction of west. They also used to bury some small utensils with them. In Harappa almost more than 100 fractional burials have been discovered.
Mound-E
This mound was in the north-east of the museum and in south of the present Harappa city. Here from 1987 to 1990 and in 1993, under the supervision of Dr. G.F. Dales, Mrs. Dales and Dr. G.M. Canoir, the work of digging continued here. The oldest kiln discovered here, is “”connected”” with the start of the Harappa civilization. Whose time remained from 3300 BC to 2600 BC. Here was a small kiln constructed from a double wall and also a copper workshop is found which was used for making black or grey colored things and for baking for example the bangles of seashells etc. It was also connected with houses made of unbaked bricks and with the stoves in houses. From this mound a small kiln is also found (from Harappan era). Here the southern door of the wall is also discovered.
Transportation and communication
The signs of the use of camel and horse are not found yet. From Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro and some more places, many samples of toy bull cart for kids, from which the experts have estimated that in the Great Sindh Civilization, for travelling and transportation, bull carts were commonly used.
Besides from that, boats were also used to travel and move to other places. With land and sea routes, they had communications with far cities and outer countries Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Russian Turkistan. On the stamps of Harappa, there are some pictures of boats Crete which are similar to the boats of Egypt, from which their outer communications can be determined. Well, through bull carts and boats, sugarcane, wheat and other things were brought or taken from the fertile land to the other cities and far trading centers.
Things of picnics, games and toys
Chess was a famous game among children. Toys made of soft stone discovered from there are parrot, pigeon, owl, hen, peacock, duck, turtle and crocodile whereas small toys snake, squirrel, fish, bull and rhino were made of some mud type material. Monkey, pigs, goat, rabbit, dogs, cats, elephants and lions etc. were made of mud. Toys with wheels Bull cart, sparrow with whistle, and balls etc. are found from Harappa in a big quantity. From Mohenjo-Daro, a toy bull was found, when its tail was moved, its head moved as well. Furthermore, dices are also found. Some bricks are found whose designs show chess. The ancient people of Harappa, may used to play chess in their free time.
Mud Statues
Many statues of men, women and animals have been found from Harappa. From the human statues made of wood, 20 are of women and 10 are of men. In houses, those statues were almost of the status of goddesses and were worshipped or it is possible that they were put with the dead body as sacred. The designs of the hairs of those statues were made from jewels. From those statues, it is also expressed that like women, men were also fond of getting ready and dressed. One of the statues is what that seems to show that a woman has something in her lap from which experts think that those female statues are actually of Mother Goddess. In that era, the ancient people started worshipping Mother Earth.
The art of carving
It can be estimated from the statues found in the Sindh valley that those people were pretty much familiar to the art of creating statues. Some of these statues are of humans and some are of animals.
Till now, from Mohenjo-Daro; 11 and from Harappa only 2 Torso statues have been discovered. From Harappa, a statue made of red stone, but without head is found. Its height is 3.9 inches. Another statue is of a dancer, who is standing on its right foot and the left foot is lifted. Its height is 3.8 inches.
These both statues are best examples of art of creating statue. Someone has showed every part of body with detail and beautifully of the statue. Small statues of copper and metal and else are found as well. The statue of King Priest found from Mohenjo-Daro and one more statue made of copper of a dancer are also great example of the art of making statues.
Stone pots and tools
Pots made of stone are found very less from Harappa. Well, from there some containers and lids are found. From here some things made of common stone like weights, knives, arrow tips, the heads of circle hammers are found from here.
Metal wares, tools and implements
The ancient people of Harappa were pretty much familiar with the use of gold, steel, copper, metal etc. In big furnaces, they used to melt metals and shaped into the shape they wanted, in them copper, silver were used a lot.
From Harappa metal utensils, especially copper and silver things used in houses for example, pitcher, bowls, plates and steel pots etc. were found and the tools made of copper were axes, the fish rods, razors etc. besides from that, needles, mirrors etc. are found. More tools like bows, shields, knives, spears and a lot of them are worthy of a discussion.
Architectural Insights into Harappan Granaries
The so-called "granary" at
Harappa, located on Mound F, is a testament to the architectural ingenuity of
the Indus Valley Civilization. This massive brick structure measures
approximately 45 meters in both length and width. It
comprises two rows of six rooms, each about 15.2 by 6.1 meters, separated by a
central passageway approximately 7 meters wide. The
design includes sleeper walls with air spaces between them, suggesting an
emphasis on ventilation. Small triangular openings
may have served as air ducts, allowing fresh air to circulate beneath the
hollow floors. A wooden superstructure, supported
by large columns, would have been built atop the brick foundations, with stairs
leading up from the central passage area.
Reevaluating
the Function of the "Granary"
While traditionally referred to as a
granary, the exact purpose of this structure remains a subject of debate among
scholars. The absence of burned grain residues or storage containers
during excavations has led some researchers to question its use as a storage
facility. The interpretation of these structures as
granaries is based on comparisons with Roman buildings and has no parallels
with any building tradition in South Asia. Most
scholars agree that there is little evidence for the construction of massive
granaries at either Mohenjo-daro or Harappa and that these structures should only
be seen as evidence for large public buildings.
The
Role of Granaries in Harappan Society
Regardless of their exact function,
these large structures underscore the complexity and organization of Harappan
society. Their construction required significant planning and resources,
indicating a centralized authority capable of mobilizing labor and materials.
Whether used for storage, administrative purposes, or
communal gatherings, these buildings reflect the advanced urban planning and
architectural skills of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Comparative
Structures in the Indus Valley
Similar structures have been identified at other Indus Valley sites, such as Mohenjo-daro and Rakhigarhi. At Mohenjo-daro, a large building with wall-divisions and air-ducts was initially identified as a "Great Granary." However, the lack of evidence for grain storage has led some scholars to suggest alternative functions, such as a "Great Hall" of uncertain purpose. In Rakhigarhi, a granary made of mud-bricks with a floor of ramped earth plastered with mud has been discovered. It features seven rectangular or square chambers, with traces of lime and decomposed grass on the lower portions of the walls, indicating possible grain storage practices.