Mehrgarh was located close to
the Bolan River which provided water for agricultural and personal use and the
Bolan Pass which allowed for movement between Balochistan and present day
Afghanistan.
Credit of discovery of Mehrgarh goes to a French archeologist couple;
Jean-François Jarrige and Catherine Jarrige. In 1974, Mehrgarh was discovered by
Jean-François Jarrige and Catherine Jarrige Excavation work on Mehrgarh was
carried out in two phases. In 1974 French archeologists discovered some of the
earliest evidence of agriculture and village settlements in South Asia on the
Kachi Plains, about 30 kilometers from the town of Sibi in Balochistan.
Little is known about the religious beliefs and practices of the Mehrgarh
civilization, although extensive burial plots have been unearthed. The
Department of Archaeology and Museums in Pakistan submitted the Archaeological
Site of Mehrgarh to UNESCO for consideration as a World Heritage Site in 2004.
This Neolithic Civilization, Mehrgarh, thrived immediately preceding the Stone
Age from 7,000 to 2,500 BC. After this discovery, Mehrgarh came to be considered
the precursor to the Indus Valley Civilization, pushing back the known history
of settled life in Pakistan a few thousand years.
Archeologists divide the history of Mehrgarh into several periods. From about
7000 to 6000 BC people in the area began experimenting with growing different
wild cereals such as barley and wheat and domesticating animals such as water
buffalo and goats. They also settled in villages and began making mud brick
houses which continued into later periods.
The period between 6000 to 5500 BC was characterized by the emergence of pottery
and improvements in agriculture. Evidence of granaries in the building structure
appeared indicating crop surpluses. Cattle emerged as the preferred animal for
domestication. Jewelry of beads made from seashells, marble, turquoise and lapis
lazuli appeared. The use of semiprecious stones indicates the likelihood of
trade with places in Central Asia.
Archeologists divide the history of Mehrgarh into several periods. From about
7000 to 6000 BC people in the area began experimenting with growing different
wild cereals such as barely and wheat and domesticating animals such as water
buffalo and goats. They also settled in villages and began making mud brick
houses which continued into later periods.