5 Lost Cities That Were Actually Found

Mohenjo-Daro – The Ancient Metropolis With Modern Toilets (Rediscovered: 1922)

In the dusty plains of present-day Pakistan, the ruins of Mohenjo-Daro lay buried for over 3,700 years. The city was once home to at least 40,000 people and was a marvel of ancient urban planning. In 1911, archaeologists first came across brickwork in the area, but it was dismissed. It wasn’t until 1922 that an officer of the Archaeological Survey of India recognised its significance, leading to large-scale excavations. What they discovered was astonishing: a sophisticated sanitation system with covered drains and private toilets in many residences—a level of urban complexity that wouldn’t be seen again for millennia. Today, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the “best preserved” ruin of the Indus Valley Civilisation.