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Ancient Indus Civilization Elephant objects and related motifs

Elephant head

Elephant head with stylized wide spread ears. Traces of red and white paint bands are visible on the face. Painting of elephants for ritual processions is a common practice in traditional India and the main colors are red and white. This figurine… >

Elephant faience tablet

Faience tablet (H2000-4387/2089-02), found during surface collecting, depicts an elephant on one side and has script on the reverse (not shown). >

Kot Diji phase elephant seal - obverse

Obverse of an unfinished elephant seal (H2000-4474/8994-01) in steatite from the Kot Diji phase levels at Harappa. This is the earliest seal with an elephant motif known from the region and may have been a prototype for later Indus seals. >

Kot Diji phase elephant seal - reverse

View of the reverse of the elephant seal (H2000-4474/8994-01) from the Kot Diji phase levels, shows manufacturing marks and traces of a perforated knob or boss that is characteristic of Early Harappan seals. >

Elephant figurine head with painted designs from Harappa

It is unknown whether elephants were domesticated in the Indus Civilization. However, one of the few elephant figurines from Harappa is a head with large stylized ears and red and white stripes painted across the face. This may mirror the custom of … >

Hollow elephant figurine from Harappa

Another elephant figurine has an undecorated head with two flat ears and a trunk (all broken) on a round hollow body. Approximate dimensions (W x H(L) x D): 4.5 x 7.1 x 7.1 cm. >

Elephant (Elephas maximus). Mythological Creatures and Plant-Forms Seals

[Original 1931 text] This animal is on fifteen of the seals, Nos. 362-76. In fact, it may be said to rank next in order of popularity to the bull. On most of the seals it is carefully portrayed, in some cases even to the wrinkles along its back. . … >

Elephant Seal

Dr. Kenoyer writes (Ancient Cities, p. 84): "The elephant is also an important symbol of power that in later historical periods came to be associated with royalty, wealth and the deity Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Elephant seals fall in the… >

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