Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro (/moʊˌhɛndʒoʊ ˈdɑːroʊ/; Sindhi: موهن جو دڙو, lit. 'Mound of the Dead Men'; Urdu: موئن جو دڑو [muˑənⁱ dʑoˑ d̪əɽoˑ]) is an archaeological site in Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan. Built c. 2500 BCE, it was the largest settlement of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation, and one of the world's earliest major cities, contemporaneous with the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Minoan Crete, and Norte Chico.
Shown within Sindh Mohenjo-daro (Pakistan) Mohenjo-daro (South Asia) | |
| Location | Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 27°19′45″N 68°08′20″E |
| Type | Settlement |
| Area | 250 ha (620 acres) |
| History | |
| Founded | 26–25th century BCE |
| Abandoned | 19th century BCE |
| Cultures | Indus Valley Civilisation |
| Official name | Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iii |
| Reference | 138 |
| Inscription | 1980 (4th Session) |
| Area | 240 ha |
With an estimated population of at least 40,000 people, Mohenjo-daro prospered for several centuries, but by c. 1700 BCE had been abandoned, along with other large cities of the Indus Valley Civilization.
The site was not rediscovered until the 1920s. Significant excavation has since been conducted at the site of the city, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, the first site in South Asia to be so designated. The site is currently threatened by erosion and improper restoration.