🤯 Did You Know (click to read)
Kot Diji pottery displays decorative motifs that later appear in Mature Harappan ceramics, showing cultural continuity.
Kot Diji, located in present-day Sindh, represents a significant pre-Harappan settlement dating to the Early Harappan phase before 2600 BCE. Excavations have uncovered substantial fortification walls constructed from mud brick and stone. These defensive features suggest organized labor and social coordination prior to the Mature Harappan period. The site reveals gradual cultural development rather than abrupt emergence of urban complexity. Pottery styles show continuity into later Harappan phases. The fortifications may have served both protective and administrative functions. Stratigraphic layers indicate incremental expansion. Urban planning evolved from earlier settlement models. Civilization was iterative.
💥 Impact (click to read)
Systemically, Kot Diji challenges the narrative of sudden urbanization around 2600 BCE. Early fortification suggests social stratification and leadership structures already in place. Defensive construction required collective effort and planning. Settlement continuity indicates developmental progression. Regional integration began before major cities formed. Institutional foundations preceded monumental architecture. Complexity matured gradually.
For residents, early fortifications provided psychological and physical security. Building walls demanded shared labor across families. Children grew up within enclosures that signaled belonging. The defensive perimeter defined community identity. Later cities inherited these spatial habits. Security planning became normalized. Urban ambition began in small enclosures.
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