Neolithic mud homes, storage pits, and the earliest farming settlement in South Asia.
Mehrgarh, located in Balochistan, is the oldest known settlement in present-day Pakistan and among the earliest farming communities in the world. Dated as far back as 7000 BCE, this Neolithic site marks the beginning of South Asia’s architectural history. Its people built mud-brick rectangular houses, with individual rooms and communal storage silos — representing the first shift from nomadic life to organized settlements.
Architectural remains show multi-roomed houses built on foundations of compacted earth, with walls of sun-dried mud bricks. Storage bins, pottery kilns, and granaries reflect an evolving understanding of urban planning and community living. The use of courtyards and early irrigation practices point toward a lifestyle deeply linked to the environment and agriculture.
Mehrgarh also exhibits early dental and tool-making techniques, and the settlement was likely self-sustaining. Though there’s no evidence of monumental structures like temples or palaces, the importance of domestic and agricultural planning makes Mehrgarh the foundation of all future architectural developments in the region.
