The Indus Civilization (Cambridge History of India, Supplementary Volume) c10.38

c10.38

The floors of the individual granaries were carried clear of the ground on sleeper-walls, three to each unit. In at least two instances the central sleeper had rectangular thickenings as though to carry posts or piers for additional roof-support. The purpose of the sleepers, as in the closely similar granaries of Roman forts, was to provide intervening air-ducts to keep the overlying building dry and so to prevent sweating and mildew. The structures were entered from the central passage by short flights of brick steps, and the systematic use of the passage itself for something more than transit is indicated by the presence in it of a number of carefully laid brick floors. As the general level rose outside the area, the air-ducts beneath the floors tended to become choked, and accordingly small projecting air-vents, conducting from the higher level, were added at their outer ends. The combined floor-space of the twelve granaries was something over 9000 sq. ft., and approximates closely to that of the Mohenjo-daro granary as originally planned (below, p. 31).