Chapter : In the earliest cities
Indus Valley Civilisation produced a lot of artefacts and art forms. Indus Valley art form emerged during the second half of the third millennium BCE (i.e. from 2500 BC onwards). Thousands of seals have been discovered by archaeologists from the Harappan sites. Most of the seals were made of steatite, which is a kind of soft stone. A few of them were also made of terracotta, gold, agate, chert, ivory and faience.
The standard Harappan seal was square in shape with a 2X2 dimension. It is believed that the seals were used for commercial purposes. A few seals were also carried as amulets, perhaps as a kind of identity card. All the seals have pictures of animals with something written in a pictographic script (which is yet to be deciphered). Chiefly, the animals represented are tigers, elephants, bulls, bison, goats and so on. Most of the seals have been written on both sides. The writings are in the Kharosthi style (right to left). Some seals have mathematical images and must have been used for educational purposes. The most famous seal is the Pashupati Seal of Harappan civilization from Mohenjo Daro. It is a seal with a figure seated cross-legged in the centre with animals around; an elephant and a tiger to the right of the figure and rhino and a buffalo to its left.
Seals were used to make a sealing, or positive imprint, like this modern resin one made from the original seal. Sealings were used in ancient times for trade. They would be made on ceramics or the clay tags used to seal the rope around bundles of goods.
Ancient Mesopotamian seals from the same period functioned in this manner. Numerous Indus seals have been found in ancient Mesopotamian cities. There is evidence for settlements of Indus valley traders in ancient Mesopotamia, in the form of Mesopotamian seals with Indus language characters. The letters above may designate someone’s name or class. The final pictograph (there is agreement from manufacturing evidence that seals were read from right to left) is related to a possible class of three common endings. They feature the sign of someone carrying goods, possibly indicating a trading group or caste.
Large unicorn seal
Large unicorn seal (H99-4064/8796-01) found on the floor of Room 591 in Trench 43, dating to late Period 3C. This is one of the largest seals found from any Indus site.
Intaglio seal with script and unicorn
Intaglio seal (H97-3433/7617-01) with script and unicorn motif found in Trench 41NE in 1997. This seal dates to approximately 2200 BCE, at the transition between Harappa Periods 3B and 3C.
Steatite button seal
Fired steatite button seal with four concentric circle designs from the Trench 54 area (H2000-4432/2174-3).
Faience button seal
A faience button seal with geometric motif (H2000-4491/9999-34) was found on the surface of Mound AB at Harappa by one of the workmen.
Unicorn seal
Unicorn seal from Trench 37, which lies to the east of the “Granary.” This type of seal comes from levels dating to Harappa Phase Period 3B. Similar seals were found near the “granary” in 1997. (More unicorn seals at 43, 55.)
Unicorn seal
A square steatite unicorn seal with a unique inscription was found in the street debris on the inside of the city wall. The two sets of signs on the right hand side of the seal would appear in reverse.
Unicorn seal
A steatite unicorn seal from Harappa with Indus script. This seal was found in the central area of Mound E and dates to Period 3B or early 3C, around 2450-2200 BCE. When pressed into clay the impression will be reversed.
Seal, Mohenjo-daro
Square seal with multiple headed animal depicting three important totemic animals: the bull, the unicorn, and the antelope. All three animals are seen individually on other seals along with script, but this seal has no script.
Material: gray brown
Seal, Mohenjo-daro
Seal depicting a deity with horned headdress and bangles on both arms, standing in a pipal (sacred fig) tree and looking down on a kneeling worshiper. A human head rests on a small stool.
Seal, Mohenjo-daro
Square seal depicting a nude male deity with three faces, seated in yogic position on a throne, wearing bangles on both arms and an elaborate headdress.