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Ancient Indus civilization toys.

Toy carts, Nausharo

Terra cotta toy carts from the Harappan period site of Nausharo in Baluchistan. Holes along the length of the cart serve to hold wooden side bars and at the center of the cart two of the wooden side bars can be extended below the frame to hold the a… >

Toy boat, Harappa

Terra cotta toy boat from Harappa. Such toys may have been used by children. Harappa Archaeological Research Project. >

Whistles

Hollow egg shaped whistles may have been used for making music and for accompaniment to singers, a tradition that is still present in rural areas of Pakistan and India. The bird shaped whistles were probably used to amuse children and may represent … >

Terra cotta discs

One of the games played by the children of the Indus cities may be represented by terra cotta discs found in graduated sizes. A game called "pittu" is played throughout Pakistan and northern India even today, with stacks of pottery discs and a ball … >

Textile impressions

Textile impressions on a toy bed made during the Harappan Phase (c. 2600-1900 BCE) show finely woven cloth made of uniformly spun threads. This example shows a fairly tightly woven normal weave. >

Detail of terracotta tops

Detail of terracotta tops found in Room 202 (Trench 43). >

Ox- or water buffalo-drawn cart with driver from Harappa

Terracotta figurines have long been considered toys, often without question. Other objects such as carts, wheels, and charpoi (cots) made of terracotta at a similar scale may reinforce this interpretation for at least some of the terracotta figurine… >

Animal "puppet" figurine from Harappa

Some terracotta figurines such as the unusual ithyphallic pot-bellied animal figurines with tails and holes through the shoulders for movable arms were probably used as toys or puppets. A few examples also have holes in their bases. Approximate … >

Body of a figurine with a movable head and tail from Harappa

Another figurine that may have been used as a toy is the quadruped, probably a bovine, with a movable head and tail. It usually has pierced projections extending from the base of the neck to secure the (separate) head and neck laterally and a pierce… >

Wheeled zebu figurine from Harappa

A small subset of the figurines from Harappa originally had wheels. Of the many small terracotta wheels found at Harappa, at least some must have been intended for these wheeled objects. One style of wheeled figurine has lateral holes for the axles … >

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