When we think of ancient civilizations, images of pyramids, temples, and crumbling scrolls might come to mind, but what about dinner? One of the most fascinating questions in archaeology is not just how people lived, but what they ate. And in the case of the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the world’s earliest urban cultures, we’re starting to get some remarkable answers.

Who Were the Indus Valley People?

The Indus Valley Civilization (also called the Harappan Civilization) flourished around 2600–1900 BCE in what is now modern-day Pakistan and northwest India. It was one of the three great "cradle civilizations" of the Old World, alongside Egypt and Mesopotamia.

With highly planned cities like Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, and Dholavira, the Indus people built a society known for its grid-based city layouts, advanced drainage systems, standardized weights and measures, and remarkable craftsmanship in pottery, jewelry, and seals.

Unlike other ancient civilizations, they left behind no deciphered written records, so much of what we know comes from archaeological remains; broken pots, carbonized seeds, cooking tools, and impressions left in soil.

What Do We Know About Their Food?

Despite the silence of their script, the kitchens of the Indus Valley are slowly revealing their secrets. Through excavation and analysis, archaeologists have uncovered:

• Grains and Pulses: The staples of the Indus diet were wheat, barley, and lentils, along with millets and rice in some regions. Lentils, in particular, appear frequently in seed remains.

• Legumes: Lentils (Lens culinaris), black gram (urad), and green gram (moong) were commonly grown and consumed.

• Fruits and Spices: Traces of dates, figs, mustard seeds, and possibly turmeric and ginger suggest a flavorful and diverse cuisine.

• Animal Products: Bones of cattle, water buffalo, sheep, and goats suggest meat consumption, though likely limited to certain social contexts. Fish and shellfish were eaten in coastal and riverine cities.

• Dairy: Evidence from residue analysis on pottery suggests the use of milk and ghee in cooking.

Cooking Methods and Utensils

Large clay ovens (possibly tandoors), hearths, and fire altars have been found in residential areas. Flat clay pans and small molds suggest frying or griddle cooking. Mortars and pestles, grinding stones, and storage jars give further insight into how food was processed and stored.

One particularly interesting find? Carbonized food fragments, burnt remains that survived thousands of years, sometimes showing patterns consistent with bread or cake-like structures.

The Lentil Cake: A Culinary Time Capsule

Among these finds, one stands out for its culinary significance: lentil cakes. Though no complete recipe exists, several pieces of indirect evidence support the idea that lentils were ground into a paste, possibly mixed with spices or grains, shaped into cakes or patties, and cooked on hot stones or in ovens.

• Carbonized Remains: At sites like Harappa and Farmana, archaeologists found compacted, circular food remains rich in pulse starches—likely made from lentils or mung beans.

• Grinding Stones and Slag: Tools found in kitchens show wear patterns suggesting the grinding of legumes.

• Cooking Surfaces: Flat clay pans and fire pits could have easily accommodated lentil cakes, which may have been fried or baked.

• Modern Parallels: In many parts of India and Pakistan today, dishes like masoor dal tikki (spiced lentil patties) are still common—possibly echoing ancient recipes passed down orally over generations.

Why It Matters

Exploring the cuisine of the Indus Valley connects us not only to their technological brilliance but to their daily lives—the quiet rituals of grinding grain, shaping dough, and gathering around a fire. Food, after all, is one of the most human things we do. It nourishes not just the body, but memory, culture, and identity.

As we continue to dig deeper, both into the soil and the data, the lentil cake becomes more than just a relic. It becomes a story. A bridge between past and present, reminding us that even in cities lost to time, people sat down to meals made with care, spice, and simplicity.