was built around a courtyard, with windows overlooking the courtyard. The outside walls had no windows.
Each home had its own private drinking well and its own private bathroom. Clay pipes led from the bathrooms
to sewers located under the streets. These sewers drained into nearly rivers and streams.
Harappan cities did not develop slowly, which suggests that whoever built these cities learned to do so in
another place. As the Indus flooded, cities were rebuilt on top of each other. Archaeologists have discovered
several different cities, one built over the other, each built a little less skillfully. The most skillful was on
bottom. It would appear that builders grew less able or less interested in perfection over time. Still, each city is a
marvel, and each greatly advanced for its time.
Their towns were laid out in grids everywhere (straight streets, well built homes!) These people were incredible
builders. Scientists have found what they think are giant reservoirs for fresh water. They have also found that
even the smallest house at the edge of each town was linked to that town's central drainage system. (Is it
possible that they not only drained waste water out, but also had a system to pump fresh water into their homes,
similar to modern plumbing.
Clothing
Men and women dressed in colorful robes. Women wore jewelry of gold and precious stone, and even wore
lipstick! Among the treasures found was a statue of a women wearing a bracelet. (Bracelets with similar designs
are worn today in India.)
Clothing was for the most part, similar for both men and women. The basic costume of ancient society was a
length of cloth wrapped around the lower part of the body, and a loose fitting garment for the upper body, which
was usually another length of fabric. A headdress was also worn, mainly by the men.
Women in Vedic society wore a variety of garments. The first being a skirt type garment (dhoti), with a blouse
(choli) and scarf. Second is a sari, which is a length of fabric wound around the body with the loose end (pallu)
thrown over the shoulder. Sometimes a choli would be worn with this. The last garment was worn mainly by
tribal women. The Adivasi is a length of fabric tied around the waist with no upper garment worn.
Men also had a choice in their clothing though not as varied as the women. Men usually wore a Dhoti, which is
a length of fabric wrapped around the waist. This could be left as a skirt or brought through the legs and made
into a pants type garment. Men of the south rarely wore shirts, but men of the north wore a fitted upper garment.
Male headdress was also a length of fabric, wrapped around the head, called a Turban. Women sometimes wore
the turban also.
Due to the large area of India many differences in clothing emerged, mainly due to climate differences. The
southern Indians wore much less than in the colder north. Women in the south rarely wore a upper garment.
