Monuments and archaeological pieces serve as testimonies of man's greatness and establish a dialogue between civilizations showing the extent to which human beings are linked ~ Vicente Fox
With the upcoming Hrithik Roshan starrer ‘Mohenjo Daro’, social media is once again abuzz with the discussions of this lost city. Mohenjo-Daro, the old city of Indus Valley civilization has intrigued the masses since its discovery in the 1920s. The original name of this old city is yet to be deciphered. It came to be known as Mohenjo-Daro meaning ‘Mound of the Dead’ after its excavation. But this city was once alive and much more advanced in 2500 BCE. You will be stunned knowing how well-planned and functional this city once was! Currently, this archaeological site lies in the province of Sindh, Pakistan.
Take a look at some of the interesting facts about Mohenjo Daro.
The Great Bath
Beautiful! Want to step into this pool? This is the reconstructed image of the Great Bath of this spectacular city. This bathing pool with waterproof bricks measures 12 metres (39 ft) long, 7 metres (23 ft) wide and 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) deep. Two staircases lead down into the tank from the north and south. Research studies say that this tank may have been used for religious purification and well being of the bathers.
Stone sculpture of the Priest-King (National Museum, Karachi)
What can you see in this picture? Dressed in a beautifully patterned cloak, a bearded man with a fillet around his head and an armband, isn’t it? This sculpture gives a glimpse of the fashion sense that existed in those days. This 17.5 centimeters tall figure was retrieved in 1927 and the archaeologists called it the ‘Priest-King’.
Bronze statuette of Dancing Girl
With her hand on her hip, this confident girl is truly admirable, don’t you agree? Dubbed the ‘Dancing Girl’, this 10.5 centimeters high statuette was found in 1926. Take a closer look and you will see the young girl wearing bangles all the way up to her arm. This masterpiece makes two things clear; these people knew the art of metal blending and were fond of entertainment.
The Pashupati Seal
Man and animals have coexisted together since time immemorial right? This recovered seal, known as the Pashupati seal portrays a cross-legged figure surrounded by animals. According to research, this figure represents the three-headed ‘proto-Shiva’ (Lord of Animals) or a yogi.
How did this brilliant civilization collapse?
There are different theories as to what happened to this well-planned city. Some say that there was a big war that destroyed this place; others say that movements in the earth’s crust flooded the Indus river and thereby ended this great civilization.
The current state of Mohenjo-Daro
In 1980, Mohenjo-Daro was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many walls of this site have collapsed and it is threatened by groundwater salinity. According to Pakistani archaeologists, if proper conservation measures are not taken immediately, this site may disappear by 2030.
Here are some of the new UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the world.
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