Early Harappan stylized female figurine from Harappa
The earliest anthropomorphic figurines from Harappa thus far are from the Early Harappan (Ravi Phase, Period 1, and Kot Diji Phase, Period 2) levels.
Slides by Richard H. Meadow, Project Director of HARP (Harappa Archaeological Research Project). His excavations focus on the ancient Indus Valley sites in Pakistan including Balakot near Karachi, Mehrgarh in Baluchistan, and Harappa since 1995.
Early Harappan female figurine with painted features from Harappa
Another style of Early Harappan female figurine holds a round object, possibly a vessel, with both hands at the waist above a flaring lower body which ends in a (broken) forward-extending base.
Female figurine with a fan-shaped headdress from Harappa
At the peak of the Indus Civilization or the Harappan Period (Period 3), the most common dress for female figurines was the belt and/or short skirt usually situated at the same point on the hips as the figurine’s hands.
Head of a female figurine with a "tiara" headdress from Harappa
A few female figurines from Harappa have a sort of "tiara" attached to the front of the fan-shaped headdress.
Approximate dimensions (W x H x D): 6.0 x 8.7 x 3.9 cm.
Female figurine with a double volute headdress from Harappa
Other female figurines have a double volute headdress that is usually decorated and sometimes painted black as well.
Female figurine with a double volute headdress from Harappa
The "cones" that often decorate figurine headdresses may be reproductions of the small gold cones that have been found at Indus Civilization sites. Similar small gold cones are still used as hair ornaments in South Asia.
Approximate dimensions (W x
Female figurine with painted hair from Harappa
In addition to headdresses and hair decorations, loose hair is sometimes depicted on figurines. A few figurines have painted black hair extending from the back of the head to below the shoulders.
Approximate dimensions (W x H x D): 3.9 x 5.2 x 2.6
Female figurine with locks of hair from Harappa
Other figurines have loose hair arranged in "ringlets" or separate locks made of terracotta, possibly representing a wig.
Approximate dimensions (W x H x D): 4.0 x 9.1 x 2.9 cm.
Two female figurines with other head decor from Harappa
Both male and female figurines may have hair swept around the top of the head, to the side, or to the front. Some female figurines also have a somewhat simple flaring headdress with an attached headband.
Approximate dimensions (W x H x D): 2.9 x 7.1
Female figurine with painted ornaments from Harappa
Some of the ornaments on female figurines were accentuated with white and/or black pigment, and some ornaments were completely rendered in pigment.