3.3 Art and Architecture

Architecture

Embedded from 3.2 Characteristics , Decline, Survival and Significance › Citadel

• division of most town a raised citadel on the west and a lower town on east
• built on a high podium, with mud bricks, contained large structures which might have functioned as administrative or ritual centres. lower city contained residential areas
• At Mohenjodaro and Harappa it was surrounded by brick wall
• Kalibangan both citadel and lower city surrounded by a wall,

Embedded from 3.2 Characteristics , Decline, Survival and Significance › General Layout

• The towns in Harappa were laid out in a rectangular grid pattern
• streets ran from north to south in the lower city and cut at right angles. Areas were built in different times.
• Harappa and Mohenjodaro baked bricks were used for buildings. In Kalibangan mud bricks were used.
• Lothal has different layout, was rectangular settlement surrounded by a brick wall. It did not have any internal division and was not divided into citadel and lower city.
• brick making organised on large scale because baked and unbaked bricks were of the same standard size
• presence of a civic administration which would take decision for the sanitary requirements of all the townsmen as seen in cities like Mohenjodaro.

Buildings

• Mainly three types of buildings have been found in the excavation sites -- dwelling houses, public buildings and public baths.
• Great Bath at Mohenjodaro was one the bigger structures inside the citadel. It is approached at either end by flights of steps. bed of the bath was made water tight by the use of bitumen
• Granary, Assembly hall, residence of a high official are certain other buildings that have been observed in Mohenjodaro.
• average citizen seems to have lived in the blocks of houses in the lower city had single room tenets and bigger houses too. No windows faced the street.

Art and Culture

Embedded from 3.2 Characteristics , Decline, Survival and Significance › Art and Culture during Harappan period

• Terracotta toys are found in large numbers, motifs used were monkeys, dogs, sheep etc.
• Chanhudaro had a bead making workshop.
• designs on the seals include a wide range of animals associated with groups of signs in a semi-pictographic script.
• animal motifs used are the Indian bison, the Brahma bull, rhinoceros, tiger and elephant.
• Seals also had a unicorn which could have had religious usage.
• Pashupati seal is also famous is flanked by 4 animals :
  • Elephant
  • Rhinoceros
  • Water Buffalo
  • Tiger
  • Antelopes/Ibexes
• What were certain terracotta objects made by the Harappans?
  • Figurines of animals eg Bulls, buffaloes, monkeys and dogs.
  • Female figurine
  • Toys, masks, faience bangles, rings, pendants etc.
• Dholavira signboard indicated high level of Urban literacy and civic use of writing.
• evidence of common script all over Harappa shows high level of cultural integration.
• worship of female goddesses associated with fertility is one of the main features of Harappan religion.
• What are some other examples of female figurines with likely cultic significance?
  • Slim Female figurines - wearing fan shaped headdress, short skirt, heavily ornamented.
  • Matronly potbellied type
• various shapes of seals were Square, rectangular, triangular and circular
• Sealings were used by merchants to authenticate their bales of merchandise important concept
• Languages on the seal was probably in the language of the ruling elite.
• What could have been some uses of Harappan seals?
  • Tokens for buying and selling goods
  • Worn as Amulets
  • Identification markers
• Seals found in Kunal and Nausharo shows connections with traders or elite groups.
• Seals - generally square made of steatite, semi pictographic script
• Terracotta sculptures in H. period was made using Pinching method
• The painted pottery during H. period is also known as Red and Black pottery. Most are wheel-made.
• Girdles, earrings and anklets were worn only by women in Harappa.
• Unicorn motifs were found in Mohenjodaro.
• Bead making factories were discovered at Chanhudaro and Lothal.
• Chanhudaro and Balakot were important centres of shell work.
• Symbols similar to Harappan writing have been found at early H. levels at Padri, Kalibangan, Dholavira and Harappa.
• Horned deity was found painted on a jar in Kot Diji,Rehman Dheri
• And in terracotta cakes in Kalibangan, shows a process of cultural convergence
• Elephants appears on seals. Tigers in figurines.
• Beads - barrel shaped, trefoil patterns
• Finds are very limited and do not have variety as seen in Egypt or Mesopotamia

Pottery/Material Culture

• Most of Harappan pottery is plain, but a substantial part is treated with a red slip and black painted decoration of horizontal lines of varied thickness, leaf patterns, scales, chequers, lattice mark, palm and pipal trees. Birds, fishes and animal. Potteries were stamped suggesting that they were traded
• Tools show striking degree of uniformity in design. basic tools types were flat axe, chisels, knives, spear heads and arrowheads for copper and bronze implements. Later stages had daggers, knives and flat tang.
• Pottery that is red with designs painted in black having a range of forms and motifs.
• Terracotta cakes usually triangular and sometimes round.
• Standardised bricks in 1:2:4 ratio.
• Typical Harappan pottery is a fine,sturdy, wheel-made ware with a bright red slip decorated with painted black designs.
• Polychrome painting is rare. Red was made from red ochre and black from reddish-brown iron oxide and black manganese
• Rabbits, peacocks, pigeons, ducks, monkeys and wild fowls are represented in figurines, paintings and on pottery.
• Terracotta figurines used as toys or cult figures,

Bronze and other Sculptures

• the techniques of casting bronze and copper were known.
• bronze dancing nude figure discovered in Mohenjodaro.
  • head drawn backwards, nude, bangles, hand on hip, plaited hair.
• bronze figurines of a buffalo and a ram shows their stance.
• Two little toy carts of bronze are also fairly well known objects.
• stone sculpture of a bearded head found in Mohenjodaro.
• Harappans do not seem to have used stone or bronze for their artistic creations on a large scale. The findings of such works are rare.
• Bronze Buffalo and ram, toy carts
• Stone sculpture of bearded man, upper lip shaved, half closed eyes, cloak across left shoulder
• Male torsos at Harappa
• Two metal iron objects were found in Lothal.

References :

Upinder Singh

Chapter 4. Harappan Civilization