This 4,000-year-old city defied the rules of history
New archaeological research indicates that the ancient Indus civilization city of Mohenjo-daro became more socially equal as it grew. Unlike other ancient societies that saw wealth concentrate among elites, Mohenjo-daro focused on public infrastructure and equitable resource distribution.
Why it matters
It challenges traditional historical models suggesting that urban growth inevitably leads to increased social and economic inequality.
New research suggests that Mohenjo-daro followed a very different path from many other early cities. As the 4,000-year-old urban center became larger, more productive, and more successful, its society appears to have grown more equal rather than less.
Historians have often argued that inequality increased when small farming settlements developed into cities. Under this traditional model, kings, priests, and other powerful leaders gained control of wealth and resources, causing the divide between rich and poor to expand.
A University of York study of Mohenjo-daro, the largest city of the Indus civilization, points to the opposite pattern. Researchers examined differences in house sizes across the city and found that wealth became more evenly distributed as Mohenjo-daro matured.
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