Ancient City Unearthed

A Wide World Photo news agency photograph with the title given above was dated June 4, 1959. The caption, reflecting then popular conceptions like "invaders," was printed on the back:

"For three thousand years a great and peaceful civilization has lain buried and forgotten on the banks of the Indus in what is today Pakistan. Now archaeologists are slowly excavating its capital, the ancient city of Moenjo Daro, a few miles south of Dokri. The city of Moenjo Daro is remarkable in many ways but most of all in its complete absence of fortifications. The assumption has been that the civilisation which it ruled enjoyed a long peace which came to a sudden end at the hands of savage but entirely unexpected invaders. Another feature of the ancient city is the unrelieved irregularity of its architecture. Streets are straight as dies, buildings are block-shaped.

A general view of the excavations at Moenjo Daro, showing two parts of the half-uncovered city, one section on the plain in the foreground."