An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c19.s15.2

v1.c19.s15.2

The earliest example of wells are of the Harappa culture [4.9] as evidenced at Mohenjo-daro, Harappa and other sites in Pakistan, and KALIBANGAN, LOTHAL and other sites in India, were brick-lined wells have been found in the habitation areas of these sites. An interesting fact about the Harappa wells is their continuous use, barring exceptions, practically throughout the long period of the existence of the settlements, as is evidenced by the raising of the lining of the wells from time to time or by the construction of a short staircase to lead down into the well-room consequent upon the raising of the level of the mound (Mackay, 1938, p. 165). At Mohenjo-daro most buildings of any size have wells of their own (Marshall, 1931, p. 16) besides wells for public use provided in private houses with an entrance to the well-chamber direct from the street or ‘placed in a cul-de-sac between two houses’ (*ibid.*, pp. 16, 270).