The Indus Civilization c11.17

c11.17

Before closing this chapter it must be mentioned that, from the measurements made of skeletons of Mediterranean type found at Mohenjo-daro, it has been estimated that the height of one male when alive was about five feet four and a half inches, whereas two females was four feet nine inches, and four feet four and a half inches in height, respectively. The measurements of a skeleton of Proto-Australoid type show that the individual was five feet one inch in height, which, as Colonel Sewell remarks, is about the average for a member of that race. It is not possible without further data to say definitely that the entire population of that city were of such small stature, but the fact remains that many of the houses are obviously built for short people. Where beam-holes are preserved in a wall it is noticeable that in many cases they are less than six feet above the floor; many of the doorways, too, seem unduly narrow for people of the present average size.