Wednesday, 4 December 2024

1645 IN - Dholavira: a Harappan City (2021)

 Dholavira: a Harappan City

The ancient city of Dholavira, the southern centre of the Harappan Civilization, is sited on the arid island of Khadir in the State of Gujarat. Occupied between ca. 3000-1500 BCE, the archaeological site, one of the best preserved urban settlements from the period in Southeast Asia, comprises a fortified city and a cemetery. Two seasonal streams provided water, a scarce resource in the region, to the walled city which comprises a heavily fortified castle and ceremonial ground as well as streets and houses of different proportion quality which testify to a stratified social order. A sophisticated water management system demonstrates the ingenuity of the Dholavira people in their struggle to survive and thrive in a harsh environment. The site includes a large cemetery with cenotaphs of six types testifying to the Harappan’s unique view of death. Bead processing workshops and artifacts of various kinds such as copper, shell, stone, jewellery of semi-precious stones, terracotta, gold, ivory and other materials have been found during archaeological excavations of the site, exhibiting the culture’s artistic and technological achievements. Evidence for inter-regional trade with other Harappan cities, as well as with cities in the Mesopotamia region and the Oman peninsula have also been discovered. 

多拉维拉:哈拉帕文明古城

多拉维拉古城是哈拉帕文明的南部中心,位于古吉拉特邦干旱的卡迪尔岛上。该考古遗址在大约公元前3000-1500年间为人类定居点,由一座设防的城市和一片墓地组成,是这一时期保存最完好的东南亚城镇定居点之一。两条季节性溪流为这座带有城墙保护的古城提供了该地区稀缺的水资源。古城包括戒备森严的城堡、仪式场地,以及不同级别的街道和房屋,呈现出等级分明的社会秩序。复杂的用水管理系统展示了多拉维拉人在恶劣环境中生存和发展的聪明才智。该遗址还包括一个大型墓地,6种类型的墓碑诠释了哈拉帕文明对死亡的独特见解。考古工作者发掘出珠子加工作坊及由铜、贝壳、石头、半宝石首饰、陶土、黄金、象牙等材料制成的各种文物,展示了该文明的艺术和技艺成就。他们还发现了此地与其他哈拉帕文明城市以及美索不达米亚地区、阿曼半岛的城市进行区域间贸易的证据。

Source UNESCO WH website http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1645

Courtesy of kraghavendrabhat from postcrossing forum

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