Archaeologists excavating the Rakhigarhi site in Haryana have made a groundbreaking discovery: a centralized archive containing what appears to be a civilian housing registry. The find consists of hundreds of rectangular terracotta tablets inscribed with the Indus script, found alongside floor plans of residential blocks. This suggests a highly organized system of property ownership and urban management previously unknown in the Mature Harappan phase.
The excavation team, led by the Archaeological Survey of India, noted that these tablets were stored in a specialized room within a public building, indicating a state-level administrative function. Each tablet contains distinct seal impressions, which researchers believe served as notarized property deeds or tax records for specific dwelling units. This discovery provides the first direct evidence of how ancient Indus cities managed dense populations and real estate assets.