Mask/amulet from Harappa

	70. Mask/amulet from Harappa.
Loosely included under the rubric of terracotta "figurines" are the terracotta masks found at some Harappan sites. One mask clearly has a feline face with an open mouth with exposed fangs, a beard, small round ears and upright bovine horns. It is small and has two holes on each side of the face that would have allowed it to be attached to a puppet or worn, possibly as an amulet or as a symbolic mask. The combination of different animal features creates the effect of a fierce composite animal. As an amulet or a symbolic mask, it may represent the practice of magic or ritual transformation in Indus society. Approximate dimensions (W x H(L) x D): 4.9 x 5.2 x 2.5 cm. (Photograph by Richard H. Meadow)