Harappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform
Harappan (2600–1900 BCE mature; dock 2400 BCE)·Indus / Harappan (Lothal)·🇮🇳 Gujarat, Ahmedabad District, Saragwala, Bhogava estuary, India
About
About Harappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform
Ahmedabad Lothal excavated by Rao 1954–63, dock at 2400 BCE, bead factory and Persian Gulf seal.
Why it mattersKey Indus / Harappan (Lothal) hydraulic with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Collapse cause
- 02Trade network extent
Theories
- 01Seasonal gathering
- 02Territorial marker
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 2400 BCE dock; town 2600 BCE
- Period
- Harappan (2600–1900 BCE mature; dock 2400 BCE)
- Culture
- Indus / Harappan (Lothal)
- Purpose
- Harappan tidal dock (37 m × 22 m × 4 m) and warehouse platform — world's earliest tidal dockyard on estuary
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1893
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 2400 BCE dock; town 2600 BCE
Initial construction / first occupation at Harappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform
c. 200 CE major extension
Major expansion / refurbishment at Harappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform
On the ground
Structures & features
22.5210° N · 72.2480° E · 15 m · 3 mapped features
Harappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform — Principal Cistern
cisterncistern at Harappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform — primary structure
22.5207° N · 72.2493° EHarappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform — Northern Aqueduct
aqueductaqueduct at Harappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform — primary structure
22.5202° N · 72.2476° EHarappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform — Southern Dam
damdam at Harappan Lothal — Dockyard and Warehouse Platform — hydraulic feature
22.5205° N · 72.2489° E