Notes On-Arts of Indus Valley Civilization-For WBCS Main Exam.

নোটস  – সিন্ধু ভ্যালি সভ্যতার আর্টস – WBCS পরীক্ষার জন্য।

History

In simple terms, Indus Valley Civilization can be divided into three main periods: (1) Early Harappan: 3300–2600 BCE; (2) Mature Harappan: 2600–1900 BCE; and (3) Late Harappan: 1900–1300 BCE.Continue Reading Notes On-Arts of Indus Valley Civilization-For WBCS Main Exam.

The Early Harappan Period included the Ravi Phase (3,300-2,800 BCE), the Hakra Phase (2,800-2,600 BCE), and the Kot Diji Phase (2800–2600 BCE). It is characterized by intensive agriculture, animal husbandry and the emergence of large urban centres, as well as extensive trading practices with the surrounding regions. The Mature Harappan Period featured urban settlements such as Harappa, Ganeriwala and Mohenjo-Daro in today’s Pakistan, and Kalibangan, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Rupar and Lothal in present-day India. However, some time around 1800 BCE, the civilization began to decline, and by about 1700 BCE, the majority of the cities were abandoned. Scholars believe that the collapse of the IVC was triggered by a major drought, or some combination of climatic conditions. But Harappan civilisation did not disappear completely, and many of its elements can be found in later cultures. Indeed, recent archeological data collected at the Harappan settlement of Pirak, suggests that Late Harappan culture may have endured until at least 900 BCE, to the era of Painted Grey Ware culture, if not later.

Architecture 

Archeological investigations have revealed a technologically advanced urban culture in many Indus Valley centres, with clear signs of sophisticated municipal town planning, including the world’s first known urban sanitation systems (Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro and Rakhigarhi). Other features of its advanced architecture include an array of impressive dockyards, warehouses, granaries, public baths, and defensive walls. These huge walls – found in most Indus Valley cities acted as flood-barriers as well as military fortifications. However, no large palaces or temples appear to have been constructed.

Materials used: Stone, Bronze, Terracotta, Clay etc

The arts of Indus valley which are excavated yet are:

Stone Statues:

• Stone statues found in Indus valley sites are excellent examples of handling the 3D volume.
• Two major stone statues are:

1. Bearded Man (Priest Man, Priest-King)

• Found in Mohenjo-Daro.
• Bearded man’s figure made of Steatite.
• The figure interpreted as a priest and is draped in a shawl coming under the right arm and covering the left shoulder.
• The shawl is decorated with trefoil pattern.
• The eyes are elongated and half closed as in a meditative concentration.
• Nose is well formed and medium size.
• Short cut moustache and a short beard and whiskers.
• Hair is parted in the middle and a plain woven fillet is passed round the head.
• An armlet on the right hand and holes around neck suggest necklace.
• A slight touch of the Greek style of statues can be seen overall.

2. Male Torso

• Found in Harappa (only major art element found in Harappa).
• Made of Red Sandstone.
• There are socket holes in the neck and shoulders for the attachment of head and arms.
• Legs are broken.
• The shoulders are well baked and the abdomen slightly prominent.
• One of the well carved and finished work.

Bronze Casting:

• Bronze casting was practiced in wide scale in almost all major sites of the civilization.
• The technique used for Bronze Casting was Lost Wax Technique.

[Initially, the figure needed is made of wax and covered it with clay. After allowed to dry the clay, the whole thing is heated so that the wax inside the clay will be melted. The molten wax was then drained out through a tiny hole made in the clay part. The hollow mold of clay thus created was filled with molten metal. Once it cooled, the clay cover was completely removed].

• Human as well as animal figures are present in the Bronze casting.
• Amongst animal figures the buffalo with its uplifted head, back and sweeping horns and the goat are artistic merits.
• Copper dog and bird of Lothal and the Bronze figure of a bull from Kalibangan shows that Bronze casting was popular at all centers of Indus valley civilization.
• Metal casting continued even after the Indus valley civilization through late Harappan, Chalcolithic people, etc.
• Examples of Bronze casting are:

1. Dancing Girl

• Found from Mohenjo-Daro.
• Made up of Bronze.
• One of the best-known artifacts from Indus valley.
• Approximately 4-inch high figure of a dancing girl.
• This exquisite casting depicts a girl whose long hair is tied in the bun and bangles cover her left arm.
• Cowry shell necklace is seen around her neck.
• Her right hand is on her hip and her left hand is clasped in a traditional Indian dance gesture.
• She has large eyes and flat nose.

2. Bull from Mohenjo-Daro

• Bronze figure of the bull found in Mohenjo-Daro.
• The massiveness of the bull and the fury of the charge are eloquently expressed.
• The animal is shown standing with his head turned to the right.
• There is a cord around the neck.

Terracotta:

• Terracotta figures are more realistic in Gujarat sites and Kalibangan.
• In terracotta, we find a few figurines of bearded males with coiled hairs, their posture rigidly upright, legs slightly apart, and the arms parallel to the sides of the body. The repetition of this figure in exactly the same position would suggest that he was a deity.
• A terracotta mask of a horned deity has also been found.
• Toy carts with wheels, whistles, rattles, bird and animals, gamesmen, and discs were also rendered in terracotta.
• The most important terracotta figures are those represent Mother Goddess.

1. Mother Goddess

• • Mainly found in Mohenjo-Daro.
  • These figures are usually crude standing figures.
  • Adorned with necklaces hanging over the prominent breast and wearing a loin cloth and a grid.
  • The fan-shaped headdress with a cup like projection on each side is a distinct decorative feature of the mother goddess.
  • The pellet eyes and beaked nose of the figure are very crude (constructed in a rudimentary way).
  • Mouth is indicated by a narrow opening.

Beads, Ornaments and Cosmetics

• The Harappan men and women decorated themselves with a large variety of ornaments produced from every conceivable materials ranging from precious metals and gemstones to bone and baked clay.
• White necklaces, fillets, armlets and finger rings were commonly worn by both sexes.
• Jewellery found at Mohenjo-Daro and Lothal include necklaces of gold and semiprecious metal stones, copper bracelets and beads, gold earrings and head ornaments.
• A cemetery has been found at Farmona in Harappa where dead bodies were buried with ornaments.
• Well developed bead industries were present at Chauhudaro and Lothal.
• Some beads were made of two or more stones cemented together.
• Also made models of animals, especially monkeys and squirrels, used as pin head and beads.
• Spinning of cotton and wool was very common (both rich and poor practiced spinning).
• Men and women wore two separate pieces of attire similar to dhoti and shawl.
• Shawl covered the left shoulder passing below right arm.
• They were conscious of fashion.
• Different hair styles were in vogue and beard was popular.
• Cinnabar was used as a cosmetic and face-paint, lipstick and collyrium (eyeliner) were also known to them.

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