4,000-Year-Old City of Mohenjo-daro Defied Rules of History

Topic: History

New research shows that Mohenjo-daro became more equal as it grew. Unlike other ancient cities, its wealth was distributed evenly among residents.

New research suggests that the 4,000-year-old city of Mohenjo-daro followed a very different path from many other early cities.

As Mohenjo-daro became larger and more successful, its society appears to have grown more equal rather than less. Historians have often argued that inequality increased when small farming settlements developed into cities. Under this traditional model, kings, priests, and other powerful leaders gained control of wealth and resources, causing the divide between rich and poor to expand.

An Ancient City That Became More Equal A University of York study of Mohenjo-daro points to the opposite pattern. Researchers examined differences in house sizes across the city and found that wealth became more evenly distributed as Mohenjo-daro matured. The city also appears to have been more equal than comparable societies in Mesopotamia and Greece.

Instead of producing increasingly dramatic differences between wealthy and ordinary households, Mohenjo-daro saw the size gap between its largest and smallest homes become narrower over time. The lead author, Dr. Adam Green from the University of York's Department of Archaeology and Department of Environment and Geography, said: "Legacy data from the ancient city shows that as the city matured, the gap between the largest and smallest homes narrowed. In fact, by its later years, the wealth gap in this massive urban center had dropped to levels typical of the first farming villages."

Why It Matters

This discovery can help us understand how societies can distribute wealth more evenly and provide a better standard of living for all citizens.

Key Facts

• Mohenjo-daro is a 4,000-year-old city in present-day Pakistan.
• The city became more equal as it grew, unlike other ancient cities.
• Researchers found that the size gap between large and small homes narrowed over time.
• Mohenjo-daro was more equal than comparable societies in Mesopotamia and Greece.
• The city's wealth was distributed evenly among residents.

Key Terms

Indus Civilization

An ancient civilization that flourished in present-day Pakistan, India, and other parts of South Asia.

Mesopotamia

A region in the Middle East where several ancient civilizations, including the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians, flourished.

Implications

This discovery can help us understand how societies can distribute wealth more evenly and provide a better standard of living for all citizens.