Ancient Cities

Most of the earliest known human settlements existed either on the banks of a river or very close to it. It was the capital city that thrived more than the other cities since it was the seat of power. The capital also became the cultural and the economics hub. Over the centuries, most of the ancient cities have completely disappeared, and what remains of them are just the ruins. These ruins convey a lot about the place and the age in which they existed. They also give us an idea about the lifestyle of its inhabitants, trade and commerce, and the social customs that were followed at that particular time.

CHANG'AN CHINA

Chang'an was one of the largest and the most
populous cities in the world.

Chinese's art

Chang'an, meaning 'Perpetual Peace' also known as Xi'an, was the capital city of China during the reign of the Han dynasty. About 3,100 years old, the city was surrounded by a wall. The remains of the forts recall the grandeur of a bygone era.

MOHENJO DARO AND HARAPPA

Various works of art excavated,
indicate that the people of this civilisation
had fine artistic sensibilities.

Located partly in Pakistan and partly in western India, the Indus Valley Civilisation thrived thousands of years ago. It was the largest of the four ancient civilisations-Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Indian and Chinese. The ruins of the city throw light on the meticulous city planning with straight streets, central baths, good water supply, and proper drainage and sewage system. Today, efforts are being made to protect the ruins from further damage.

POMPEII, ITALY

Nearly 20,000 people inhabited Pompeii
at the time of the eruption.

The ruins of Pompeii were found near Naples in modern Italy. Pompeii was a thriving trade centre and a prosperous town before it was completely destroyed, when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. The volcanic eruption buried the city under several feet of volcanic ash, and it was lost for almost 1,600 years, before it's ruins were discovered accidently. The excavation of the Pompeii ruins have thrown light on a city, which was a thriving centre of the Roman Empire. Today, it is one of Italy's leading tourist attractions and a UN World Heritage site.

FUN FACTS! The ancient city of Caral is Peru about 4,600 years old. The excavated city had six large pyramid was about 60 feet high and had a huge base, 500 feet long and 450 feet wide.