There is an image common to the Indus, Ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian river cultures of a female deity standing with arms outstretched, holding two apparently deadly animals at bay. In the case of the Indus, the animals have been identified as 'tigers', in Ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian they are crocodiles. What are the current theories on the iconography(ies) of these images; the reasons for their presence in three civilizations and what their presence might indicate in terms of the interrelationships between these cultures? Submitted by Ian Whitney
Is it a bull (according to a recent British Museum/BBC history of the World series) and not a unicorn? A bull with two horns always shown from the side? A mythical one-horn beast? What is his significance? Submitted by Gharial Abramnova from school student questions
Is there any sign of the blind dolphin of the Indus?
Richard Meadow
I do not think the Indus dolphin appears in the iconography, although I stand to be corrected. The gharial or Indus crocodile does appear depicted on iconography of the Indus period, primarily on moulded "tablets" or "tokens".
"There can be no doubt that some Indus seals are fine artistic achievements. Probably one of the main functions of the seal's iconographic motifs, and the quality of their carving, was to convey the status of the seal owner."
