Harappa is the province in Punjab located at the banks of the river Indus. Hence the harappan civilization is also known as the Indus valley civilization. Excavations by archaeologists are being carried out for years now. There have been many discoveries about the culture, architecture, scriptures, worships etc. The seals are one of the most important aspects of this civilization. The archaeologists have discovered more than 2000 seals till now. The material of the seals is different. A few of them are made of terracotta, the others of soapstone and copper. Seals are important as they have provided us with a lot of valuable information about this civilization. They are of different shapes and sizes. Some have animal figures on them while the others have humans. The animals on these seals are mostly the real ones but there are a few seals having figures of mythical animals as well. The official website illustrating these facts show us many intricate details.
The seals also have inscriptions on them. These seals are said to be used for stamping purposes by the merchants and various associations. These seals were even worn around the neck and arms.
These are the things which the different seals indicate-
- They show the dresses, hairstyles and ornaments of the people.
- The skills of artists and sculptors made in those times.
- The trade and commercial relationship shared by the people.
- Their beliefs and scriptures.
Although there are so many seals that have been discovered but there are a few which are important and unique. These special seals are of great value-
The Pashupati seal–
It basically depicts a man, probably lord Shiva in a yogic posture. The man has a pair of horns on the crown. He is surrounded by a buffalo, tiger, elephant and a rhino. Under the throne 2 deer are present. It depicts that the people of the civilization worshipped Shiva and considered him as the lord of animals
The unicorn seal–
Unicorn is known in the mythology.This seal depicts the imagination of the people in early times
The bull seal–
It depicts a humped bull with great vigor. The seal shows that the people had a good knowledge of animal anatomy
Conclusion: Amongst many religious beliefs and virtue, these seals have been an important element of the Harappa civilization and the website also gives all details at length.
