Brick
Description
Archaeologists have discovered over a thousand cities and towns datable between 3000 and 1700 BCE across regions of Gujarat, Sindh, Balochistan, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. Baked bricks, like this example were used to construct houses in the larger Harappan cities, while sun-dried mud bricks were used for houses in smaller towns. The cities themselves were built on massive mud-brick platforms and are famous for their beautifully conceived granaries, reservoirs, wells and street lined with drains.
A city is made up of bricks and mortar, but construction apart, mobility is central to its working. Indus cities had well-developed trade systems reliant on rural agricultural communities, mines and contact with areas from where important resources could be sourced. Pack animals, riverboats and carts were used for transport.
Collection
Ancient Civilisations
Object Type
Architectural fragment
Material
Terracotta
Schools/Culture/Period
Harappan Civilisation
Technique
--
Date
2500–1900 BCE
Location
Mohenjo-Daro
Dimension
7.62 ht x 40.64 w x 20.32 d cm