Season 3, Episode 4 - Archaeological Ruins of Mohenjo-daro (Pakistan)

Located on the Indus River in Pakistan, the Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro is one of the best preserved urban settlements from 2500 BCE. Join your host Abigail for this episode of Global Treasures to learn about the history and travel tips for visiting this UNESCO world heritage site

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Episode Transcript

Abigail (00:00):
Imagine a place that tells a story spanning centuries.
Where culture and nature intertwine tocreate something truly extraordinary.
That's the beauty of UNESCOWorld Heritage Sites.
I am Abigail, and this is GlobalTreasures, the podcast that covers

(00:22):
the history, travel, tips, andlegends surrounding one of the 1,248
world heritage sites each episode.
These places have been identifiedas having universal, cultural or
natural significance that is soexceptional that it transcends national

(00:44):
boundaries and is of importanceto present and future generations.
Welcome to season three, wherewe'll explore the 27 sites that
UNESCO added in 1980 together.
Thank you for listening to the podcast.
I appreciate all of your support,and you can continue to support us by

(01:07):
subscribing at Apple Podcasts, Spotify,Podbean, or your favorite platform.
You can also follow us on TikTok andFacebook for some travel inspiration
and updates when we drop new episodes.
I also wanna mention that I'm now bloggingon globaltreasurestravel.com, so check

(01:31):
that out for even more travel tips andto hear about my latest adventures.
Mohenjodaro, which translates to mound ofthe Dead men is an ancient archeological
site located in Sindh, Pakistan.
It sits quietly on the rightbank of the Indus River.

(01:54):
Built around 2,500 BCE, it was one ofthe largest and most advanced settlements
of the Indus valley civilization.
Think of it as one of the world'searliest major urban centers.
At its prime, during the Bronze Agebetween approximately 2,500 and 1700 BCE,

(02:21):
the city was home to around 40,000 people.
The city's design was futuristic,truly advanced for its time.
It featured a grid style layout thatalmost resembles a labyrinth with
its brick upon brick construction.
Key structures include a great bath,a colossal residential complex,

(02:46):
and a citadel, all serviced by anadvanced system of wells and drainage.
Again, further evidence of a highlydeveloped town planning system.
The social structure withinMohenjodaro is also evident in
its nicely sized courtyard homes.

(03:09):
Most of which had their ownbathrooms and proper sanitation.
This indicates the existence of a lower,middle and upper class as toilets were
an amenity for the rich typically.
Being strategically locatednear the river, allowed for
transportation and the trade of goods.

(03:32):
This allowed the city to grow intoa truly prosperous urban hub, with
established economic, cultural,and religious ties to other major
civilizations like Mesopotamia and Egypt.
It's interesting to note that the sitewasn't actually discovered until 1922.

(03:56):
Since then, extensive archeologicalexcavations have been conducted.
Despite all of the work being done though,it's unknown what may have contributed
to the city's eventual abandonment.
It's theorized that the sitemay have been severely impacted

(04:16):
by floods from monsoon rains.
This may have driven its inhabitantsaway, and they may simply have
just not come back, or thesesame rains may have killed them.
This belief stems from skeletonsthat were found in the streets
in Unusual unnatural positions.

(04:39):
However, this could also suggestviolent deaths due to a war
or an invasion of some sort.
Unfortunately, circling back tothe flooding I just referenced,
it continues to be a significantthreat even today, causing walls to
collapse and posing a significantrisk to the site's preservation.

(05:05):
Currently, the main priority forconservationists is to protect
the prominent Buddhist stupa.
Hopefully, continued efforts to preservethis site will be taken so future
generations can continue to enjoyand learn from this ancient paradise.

(05:26):
So I hope the mysterysurrounding this site inspires
you to visit the ancient city.
Let me give you a quick rundownto help you plan your trip.
I'll be sure to include some linksin the show notes as usual with
websites that will hopefully makeplanning your trip a bit easier.

(05:47):
When it comes to packing, keep in mindthat the climate in this region is desert
with hot summers that can exceed 100degrees Fahrenheit and winter lows rarely
falling below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
The area receives rain primarilybetween late summer and mid-fall.

(06:11):
So you may want to pack an umbrella.
If going during the summer, make sureyou have a hat and plenty of sunscreen.
So while it's not a requirementto be a part of a sanctioned
tour to enter the country, Ihighly recommend booking a tour.
And there are many optionsfor UNESCO World Heritage Site

(06:35):
specific tours in this area.
Also, keep in mind that a driveror a tour guide is essential for
getting into the site itself.
You can't just buy tickets on site dayof, or buy tickets online in advance.
Plus, a tour company often can helphandle all of the coordination or

(06:59):
logistics for you, from helping yousecure your visa to sharing important
tips on which vaccines you may needbased on your country of origin.
First, to get to the site, you'lllikely want to fly into Jinna
International Airport in Karachi.

(07:20):
Once you're there, you'll find that theofficial languages are Urdu and English.
But it's very common tohear Punjabi spoken as well.
A translation app is always a helpfultool to have on your phone, just in case.
And a quick tip for your health, stickto drinking bottled water to be safe.

(07:46):
Keep in mind that this sitewill entail a lot of walking.
I highly recommend leaving some time tovisit the museum while you are there.
There are some truly remarkable artifacts.
While you're in the area, if you havesome time for independent exploration

(08:06):
or are not with a tour, there area few interesting spots in Karachi.
Check out the Mohuddah Palace Museumfor a dose of history and art or head to
Port Grand if you love to shop and eat.
And speaking of food, one dish that'sworth trying is Sindhi Biriyani.

(08:30):
It's a classic dish made withrice, vegetables, and a meat
such as chicken, all blended withyogurt and a unique set of spices.
It's a perfect way to cap offyour historical adventure.
While this site may be 5,000 years old,it's remarkable to think that it took

(08:54):
thousands for the world to uncover thisancient gem and that even now, discoveries
continue to emerge from delicate piecesof jewelry to children's toys that once
belonged to his youngest residents.
Mohenjodaro is more thanan archeological site.

(09:18):
It's a place where beauty, humaningenuity and resilience converge.
With its extraordinary city once dividedinto two parts and monumental structures,
it stands as both a triumph ofearly civilization and a timeless

(09:39):
tribute to one of the mostimportant chapters in human history.
Thank you again for listeningto the Global Treasures Podcast.
Join me next time where we will dive intoyet another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Until then, keep exploring,keep wondering, and keep

(10:05):
treasuring the remarkablediversity of our world heritage.