Archaeological Mound 5,000 B.C. BCE

8. Original Mound Paleotopography
Pre Human Settlement

The paleotopography represents the pre-occupation topography as it may have existed about 5000 years ago. There may be some areas in the paleotopographic model that may not represent the actual paleotopography, but rather subsequent anthropogenic influences (perhaps by the ancient Harappans). This representation of the paleotopography is presented at 2.75 times vertical exaggeration to show the relatively subtle topography of the ancient River Ravi floodplain.

It can be seen that there are two topographically high areas in the pre-occupation terrain. These represent the initial occupation site in the northwestern comer of Mound E and a hypothesized topographic high beneath the current site of the modern Harappa town. Both of these areas are probably composed of point bar deposits, which are topographic highs in a meandering stream environment. A meander channel of the ancient River Ravi is shown migrating to the south of the initial occupation site with another shallow channel (a chute channel) separating this topographic high from the one beneath modern Harappa It is possible that the main meander channel (south) could later have been abandoned, forming an oxbow lake. Fine-grained lacustrine deposits (silts and clays) could have been subsequendy deposited in this feature, creating a ready source of clay for brick works. This scenario is supported by evidence of possible ancient resource excavation directly south of Mound E.

The topographic high beneath Harappa town is hypothesized on the basis of the current built up small mound beneath the village. This mound is an obvious modern topographic feature within a virtually flat alluvial plain. It is hypothesized that Harappan deposits probably exist beneath the modern town and may represent another site that may contain early Harappan deposits. No massive mudbrick walls have been discovered in the vicinity of Harappa town to indicate that the village mound has been intentionally built up (like ancient Harappa). Modern construction and recent debris has obliterated and concealed probable ancient Harappan deposits. It is believed that the current small mound beneath Harappa town may represent the build up of occupational deposits without revetment walls on a pre-existing topographic high. A small channel separates the Harappa town topographic high from the Mound E topographic high. This channel may be a chute channel, an erosional channel that develops across the top of a point bar deposit during floods. Because of the uncertainty involving this smaller mound beneath modern Harappa, it is not represented as pre-urban strata in the stratigraphic model.