Question

Could everybody in Harappan society have been equal?

Answer 1

No, everybody in Harappan society could not have been equal. Archaeological evidence clearly proves that distinct social, economic, and political inequalities existed across the civilisation.

1. Evidence of Social and Economic Inequality
   1. Burial goods: Some graves contained precious pottery and ornaments.
   2. Empty graves: Other ordinary graves contained absolutely nothing.
   3. Copper mirrors: Found only in a few elite burials.
   4. Housing sizes: Citadel houses were massive and fortified.
   5. Lower town dwellings: Commoners lived in much smaller quarters.
   6. Artefact materials: Elite areas had luxury items like faience.
   7. Household tools: Ordinary sectors had basic terracotta pots.
2. Evidence of Political and Power Inequality
   1. Central authority: Mass labour was organised to build platforms.
   2. Standardised production: Brick sizes were identical across vast distances.
   3. Resource control: Elite groups tightly regulated trade and weights.
   4. The Priest-King: A monumental statue indicates a ruling hierarchy.