Ancient Mohenjo-daro Showed Growing Equality as Its Prosperity Expanded

A University of York team studied the 4,000-year-old Indus metropolis Mohenjo-daro and discovered that its socioeconomic structure grew more egalitarian as the settlement expanded. By measuring differences in residential dimensions, the scholars observed a shrinking disparity between the largest and smallest dwellings, a pattern unlike contemporary societies in Mesopotamia or Greece. The city invested heavily in shared infrastructure, including sophisticated drainage networks and a regular street grid, which served the broader populace.

Trade seals, essential for commercial activity, were commonly found inside everyday houses, indicating that commercial tools were not monopolized by a ruling class. Lead author Dr. Adam Green emphasized that the urban environment prioritized collective amenities over royal palaces or monumental tombs. Published in Antiquity, the research challenges the long-standing assumption that economic growth in ancient cities required rising inequality.