Key Points

The arts of the Indus Valley Civilisation emerged during the second half of the third millennium BCE. Major art forms included sculptures, seals, pottery, jewellery, and terracotta figures.

The two major cities were Harappa in the north and Mohenjodaro in the south (both in modern-day Pakistan). Important sites in India include Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, and Kalibangan.

Indus cities showcased early examples of civic planning with a grid-like pattern for houses, markets, and public baths. They also had a highly developed drainage system.

Stone statues from Harappan sites are not abundant but are highly refined. The two most famous examples are a male torso in red sandstone and the bust of a bearded man in soapstone.

This soapstone bust from Mohenjodaro depicts a bearded man, interpreted as a priest. He is draped in a shawl decorated with a trefoil pattern, with half-closed meditative eyes.

Found at Harappa, this red sandstone torso is noted for its naturalistic posture. It has socket holes in the neck and shoulders for the attachment of a head and arms.

The Harappans were skilled in bronze casting using the 'lost-wax' technique. This involved creating a wax model, covering it with clay, melting the wax out, and pouring molten metal into the hollow mould.

This famous four-inch-high copper figure from Mohenjodaro is a masterpiece of the lost-wax technique. It depicts a girl in a confident, naturalistic pose with bangles covering her left arm.

Terracotta representations of human forms were generally crude compared to stone and bronze statues. The most common figure is the Mother Goddess, and toy carts with wheels were also made.

These crude standing female figures are adorned with necklaces, a loin cloth, and a distinctive fan-shaped headdress. They have pellet eyes and a beaked nose.

Thousands of seals were discovered, mostly square plaques made of steatite. Their primary purpose was commercial, but they may also have been used as amulets or identity cards.

Seals feature realistic animal figures like the unicorn bull, rhinoceros, tiger, and elephant. Every seal is engraved in a pictographic script which is yet to be deciphered.

A famous seal from Mohenjodaro shows a seated human figure surrounded by animals: an elephant, a tiger, a rhinoceros, and a buffalo. It is identified by some as Pashupati (a proto-Shiva) and by others as a female deity.

The pottery was chiefly fine wheel-made ware, with plain pottery being more common than painted ware. Plain pottery was generally of red clay, sometimes with a red or grey slip.

Black painted ware has a red slip with designs in glossy black paint. Perforated pottery, with holes all over, was likely used for straining beverages.

Both men and women wore a variety of ornaments made from precious metals, gemstones, bone, and baked clay. Necklaces, armlets, and finger-rings were common.

The bead industry was well-developed, with factories found at Chanhudaro and Lothal. Beads were made from carnelian, amethyst, steatite, and metals in various shapes like cylindrical, spherical, and barrel-shaped.

The discovery of spindles and spindle whorls shows that spinning of cotton and wool was common. People were fashion-conscious, with different hairstyles and beards being popular.