History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c32.s2.t8.13

v1.c32.s2.t8.13

As far as our evidence goes, the wells discovered at Mohenjo-daro are the finest examples from the point of structural details. Water for domestic use was mainly derived from them. Every house had a well of its own. A public well was frequently placed in a cul-de-sac between two houses. The exposed wells are generally circular. Considerable variation is seen in the diameter of the wells and the sizes of the bricks used to construct them. Generally, the wells were 3 to 4 feet in diameter. The bricks used in the construction of wells were moulded and burnt and are uniformly wedge-shaped. The wider end of the bricks in the steening of wells were carefully curved so as to present a smooth surface on the outside of the well. Mud mortar was the only cement used to bind the bricks. The pavements of bricks laid around the wells generally sloped towards a drain at one corner to allow waste water to run away. In many cases the top of the well only projected above the floor of the chamber in which it was situated, and an edging of brick around it served to prevent waste water from re-entering the well.