Rectangular Seals
Photographed between 1922-27 and published in Sir John Marshall, Mohenjodaro and The Indus Civilization (1931).
Ancient Indus Valley civilization seals
Steatite and Faience Seals and Tablets
The seals are numbered 1-7 from top left to bottom right.
Seal 1: Mound A-B
Sahni writes:
"The seventh stratum will probably be found to be occupied by a building of considerable magnitude though so far only a portion of its floor has been exposed.
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.
Two Mundigak Bronze Button Seals
Compare the square seal on right with this button seal found at Harappa. These and the stone seals shown earlier are often called "compartmented" seals, with the backs being either open or closed.
Sandro Salvatori in Bactria and Margiana Seals: A
Inscribed objects
A collection of inscribed objects found along the main street leading to the southern gateway of Mound E at Harappa. The fragmentary seal on the left is the earliest seal found to date, and depicts a bovine carved in a very archaic style.
Brahmani Bull (Bos indicus) Seals
[Original 1931 text] We have certain proof in Nos 327-40 and Possibly No. 542, that this type of bull was known in India in very early times. The characteristic hump on the shoulders allows of no doubt whatsoever.
Rhinoceros (R. unirornis) Seals
[Original 1931 text] This animal also rarely appears on the seals, Nos. 341-7 being the only examples that we have as yet.
Long Rectangular Seal
Another exceptionally well-preserved seal. Shown in the Image 2 [above] with its sealing from Shah, S. G. M. and A. Parpola, Corpus of Indus Seals and Inscriptions. 2. Collections in Pakistan (p. XXV), who write:
"The normal type of rectangular
Seals & tablets
A collection of seals and tablets from a single house along the main street leading to the southern gateway of Mound E at Harappa.
Seals and sealing
Long rectangular seals and a terra cotta sealing (bottom) with Indus script. The top seal has seven signs of Indus script. The back of this seal is convex and it is perforated from the side.