Type: Archaeological Site - Settlement
Province: Punjab
District: Sahiwal
Period: Proto Historic
Relative Chronology: 3500 BCE - 1800 BCE
Description: Harappa has the honour of being the first site where the remains of one of the most celebrated civilizations of the ancient world the Indus Valley Civilization were first discovered. The ruins of this celebrated city lie at a distance about 27 km south-west of Sahiwal. More than a century ago, in 1856 a British road-engineer, named William Bounton ruthlessly dug down these precious remains in search of brick-ballast for a railway line, during the process of that spoliation several antiquities were found which were either destroyed or taken away by the laborer. Among these a steatite seal and a few chert blades were examined by Sir Alexander Cunningham. The site remained un-attended for the next seventy years when again in January 1921, regular excavations were started by the Archaeological Survey of India and the true significance of the ruins was recognized. Among the most important building remains in the lower city were the workmen quarters, circular platforms and the great Granary.
Latitude: 30.626363333
Longitude: 72.866035111
Ownership: Federal Government
Legal Status: Protected by The Antiquity Act 1975 (As amended in 1992)
Title of Publication: Archaeological Sites and Historical Monuments Protected Under the Antiquities Act, 1975
Published In: Federal Department of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad
Year of Publication: 1987
Bibliography/Reference: Khan, Ahmad Nabi
