Harappa Archaeological Research Project

HARP (Harappa Archaeological Research Project) a group of scholars from a variety of fields dedicated to advancing the study of the ancient Indus Valley civilization.

Fiber pseudomorphs

Fiber pseudomorphs preserved by copper salts on the interior of the coiled copper necklace (Slide 38) have been analyzed using various techniques and determined to be silk from the wild silk moth, Antheraea mylitta, commonly called "Tussar" silk

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J. Mark Kenoyer and Richard Meadow

HARP co-directors J. Mark Kenoyer and Richard Meadow discuss the excavation of a Kot Diji phase storage jar that was later covered by a hearth.

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Button seal find

The discovery of a button seal is always exciting. Mushtaq, one of the excavation assistants from Harappa Town is proud to have found the second seal of the 1998 excavation season.

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Superimposed street levels inside the city wall

Superimposed street levels inside the city wall indicate that this area was kept clear until the last phase of the Period 3C occupation when structures were built encroaching onto the street (Trench 41NE)

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Terra cotta pestle

A terra cotta pestle that may have been used for sanding wooden planks was found discarded along with broken pottery in an early Harappan Period 3B deposit in Trench 54.

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Fill of Kot Diji phase storage jar

Careful excavation of the contents of the Kot Diji phase storage jar revealed a treasure of garbage that can tell us about the food the Kot Dijian people ate and discarded.

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Button seal

Button seal from the upper layers of Mound AB. Although this seal was found in mixed deposits dating to the Harappan and Late Harappan Periods, the carving suggests that it is actually an Early Harappan seal, dating to around 2800-2600 BCE.

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Mound F Harappa Section drawing

Section drawing of the cut through the Mound F city wall and adjoining interior street, facing east (Trench 41NE).

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Steatite bead blanks

A high concentration of tiny steatite bead blanks was found on an ashy floor near the kiln dump in Trench 54. Each (modern) bamboo piece is pointing at one bead.