Ancient India (Indus Valley)

Shhh. Can you hear a whisper from long ago? It is the sound of a big, busy city. I am made of millions of brown bricks, all stacked together like your favorite blocks. I sit right next to a big, splashing river. I was born a very, very long time ago, even before your grandparents' grandparents were born, around the year 3300 BCE. I am the Indus Valley, and I was a home for some of the first big cities in the world.

The people who lived here were so clever. Like busy bees, they built wonderful things. Around the year 2600 BCE, they built cozy brick houses that even had their own little bathrooms. They made streets with drains to keep everything nice and clean. The people grew fluffy cotton to make clothes and made shiny beads for necklaces. They even made little toys out of clay that looked like tiny animals. They had a special way of writing with pictures, but it is a secret that we are still trying to read today.

After many, many years, my cities became quiet. I fell asleep under a soft blanket of dust and sand. I slept for a long, long time. Then, one day, people found me again. In the 1920s, friendly helpers called archaeologists started to gently dig and brush the sand away. They were so happy to see my neat streets and strong brick houses. I am here to show you that even thousands of years ago, people were smart and built amazing things together. I am still here, waiting to share my secrets with you.