Did the Harappan settlement of Dholavira (India) collapse during the onset of Meghalayan stage drought?

A catastrophic drought at the onset of the Meghalayan stage (~4300–4100 years BP) likely drove the collapse of Dholavira, one of India's largest Harappan settlements. Radiocarbon dating of archaeological carbonates revealed occupation from ~5500 to ~3800 years BP, with rapid expansion during favorable monsoonal conditions. Oxygen isotope (δ18O) sclerochronology of gastropod shells indicated seasonal mixing of river and seawater, suggesting a humid fluvial landscape that shifted due to drought. This study highlights the vulnerability of ancient settlements to climate change, mirroring modern IPCC predictions.

Sengupta, T., Deshpande Mukherjee, A., Bhushan, R., Ram, F., Bera, M. K., Raj, H., Dabhi, A. J., Bisht, R. S., Rawat, Y. S., Bhattacharya, S. K., Juyal, N., & Sarkar, A. (2019). Did the Harappan settlement of Dholavira (India) collapse during the onset of Meghalayan stage drought? Journal of Quaternary Science, 35(3), 382–395. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3178