The poorer dwellings on the outskirts of the thickly built areas of Harappa and Moenjodaro have been distinguished as ‘workmen’s quarters. They may be so, as suggested by their uniformity of plan, and the cramped spaces allotted to them. But this may be interpreted as a viably economic solution of the housing problems arising out of the flux of the working population towards large cities where urban land would have become substantially more costly than in the rest of the countryside. On the whole, the cities in the Indus Valley Civilization present from the social viewpoint the picture of a fairly egalitarian society.
A remarkable feature of the large urban settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization is the regularity and order in the town planning and consideration given to the civic amenities, the sewer- age system and drainage. The main streets of the cities at both Harappa and Moenjodaro are generally oriented from north to south, with connecting streets running east to west, and thus divid- ing the cities into large rectangular or square blocks on a gridiron pattern. The main street running across the length of the lower city at Moenjodaro from north to south is a little over 9 metres in width while the others measure 2 to 5 metres. The subsidiary lanes lead- ing to the interior of the city blocks are much narrower, allowing not more than two people to walk side by side. The subsidiary lanes are generally ‘dog-footed’, i.e. going straight for some dis- tance in one direction, turning left or right round the corner of some building, turning again in the previous direction and ending up at some door front.
Great care was taken in shaping the drainage within the built-up areas of cities. The water-discharge sluices from houses first collected the dirt and refuse in small cesspits lined with bricks at the base of the walls, from which the dirty water was
through conduits to the main drains running through the middle of the streets below pavement level and covered with flat stones and sturdy tile bricks. The system of covered drains was connected to the larger sewerage outlets, also covered at the top, which finally led the dirty water outside the populated areas.
The average house in these ancient cities appears to have stood at least two storeys high, as suggested by the thickness of the enclosing wall and by remnants of wide staircases where the steps and risers still survive to considerable height from the occupation level on the ground floor. The houses were built on plinths rising above the street level, with flights of steps recessed in the wall at the front door. The doors of the houses usually opened on to the side lanes rather than on to the main streets, which might have been considerably busy in the waking hours of the crowded cities.
The general plan of the residential houses suggests a square or a slightly oblong courtyard open to the sky, and surrounded by rooms and chambers. The entrance door normally led to an ante- chamber with passages towards the kitchen, pantry and living- rooms. The rooms and parlours usually had one or two windows placed high above the floor, and covered by alabaster lattice to keep out the excess glare of the scorching sun during summer.
The roofs of the houses appear to have been flat, supported upon a framework of wooden beams and purlins, covered with terracotta brick tiles, and made waterproof by rammed earth and a further plaster of impervious clay. Though the timber work could not survive the ravages of white ants, terracotta brick tiles from the debris of the collapsed roofs and terracotta conduits for letting the rain-water out from the roof tops have been found in sufficient number.
Most of the residential houses had their own wells in the court- yards for drawing water. There also seem to have been public wells near open squares for the benefit of those whose houses lacked this amenity. The wells were all lined with brickwork, and had protective revetments at their mouths to prevent children and domestic animals from falling into them.
In brief, the architectural features of these vestiges suggest something profoundly human-a love of comfort and collective welfare. The dilapidated townships of the Indus Valley Civilization might almost be the prototypes of modern and scientific town planning and. therefore, are of immense interest to students of architecture and urban geography.
through conduits to the main drains running through the middle of the streets below pavement level and covered with flat stones and sturdy tile bricks. The system of covered drains was connected to the larger sewerage outlets, also covered at the top, which finally led the dirty water outside the populated areas.
The average house in these ancient cities appears to have stood at least two storeys high, as suggested by the thickness of the enclosing wall and by remnants of wide staircases where the steps and risers still survive to considerable height from the occupation level on the ground floor. The houses were built on plinths rising above the street level, with flights of steps recessed in the wall at the front door. The doors of the houses usually opened on to the side lanes rather than on to the main streets, which might have been considerably busy in the waking hours of the crowded cities.
The general plan of the residential houses suggests a square or a slightly oblong courtyard open to the sky, and surrounded by rooms and chambers. The entrance door normally led to an ante- chamber with passages towards the kitchen, pantry and living- rooms. The rooms and parlours usually had one or two windows placed high above the floor, and covered by alabaster lattice to keep out the excess glare of the scorching sun during summer.
The roofs of the houses appear to have been flat, supported upon a framework of wooden beams and purlins, covered with terracotta brick tiles, and made waterproof by rammed earth and a further plaster of impervious clay. Though the timber work could not survive the ravages of white ants, terracotta brick tiles from the debris of the collapsed roofs and terracotta conduits for letting the rain-water out from the roof tops have been found in sufficient number.
Most of the residential houses had their own wells in the court- yards for drawing water. There also seem to have been public wells near open squares for the benefit of those whose houses lacked this amenity. The wells were all lined with brickwork, and had protective revetments at their mouths to prevent children and domestic animals from falling into them.
In brief, the architectural features of these vestiges suggest something profoundly human-a love of comfort and collective welfare. The dilapidated townships of the Indus Valley Civilization might almost be the prototypes of modern and scientific town planning and. therefore, are of immense interest to students of architecture and urban geography.
