Indus Valley Civilization(IVC): Sculptures of Harappan Civilization

Bearded Man (Priest-King)
- Found in Mohenjo Daro.
- Material Used – Steatite stone
- Features
  - It is the figure of a bearded man, draped in a shawl with trefoil patterns.
  - The eyes are elongated, and half closed as in meditation.
  - Nose is well-carved and medium-sized.
  - His moustache is short and has a short beard.
  - The ear resembles a double shell with a hole in the centre.
  - Amulet on the right hand and a necklace on the neck.

Pic Credit – Wikimedia Commons

Male Torso
- Found in Harappa
- Made of Red sandstone
- Features
  - The torso has a frontal posture with well-baked shoulders and a prominent abdomen.
    There are socket holes in the neck and shoulders, probably for the attachment of head and arms.

Pic Credit – Wikimedia Commons

How Statues are Build?

The bronze statues were made using the “lost wax technique” or “Cire Perdue” in the Harappan civilisation.
For example – the Bronze statues of the Dancing Girl of Mohenjodaro, and the Bull of Kalibangan.

Lost Wax Technique

In this technique, wax figures are first coated with wet clay and allowed to dry. The clay-coated figures are then heated, allowing the wax inside to melt.
The wax is then poured out through a tiny hole and liquid metal is poured inside the hollow mould. After the metal has cooled down and solidified, the clay coat is removed and a metal figure of the same shape as the wax figure is obtained.

Dancing Girl

- It is the world’s oldest bronze sculpture and is found in Mohenjo Daro.
- Features
  - This four-inch figure depicts a naked girl wearing only ornaments, which include bangles on the left arm, and an amulet and bracelet on the right arm.
  - She stands in a ‘tribhanga’ dancing posture with the right hand on her hip.

Pic Credit – Wikimedia Commons

Bronze Bull
- Discovered in Mohenjo Daro
- Features
  - The massive size of the bull and the fury of his charge are eloquently depicted.
  - The animal has been depicted as standing with his head turned to the right.
  - A cord around the neck is visible.

What is it?

Terracotta refers to the use of fire-baked clay for making sculptures.
They were made using the pinching method and have been found mostly in the sites of Gujarat and Kalibangan.
For example – Mother Goddess

Mother Goddess
- These figures have been found in many Indus sites, which highlights their importance.
- It is a crude figure of a standing female adorned with necklaces hanging over prominent breasts.
- She wears a loincloth and a girdle.
- She also wears a fan-shaped headgear. The facial features are also shown very crudely and lack finesse.
- She was probably worshipped for prosperity.
- She might also have been a goddess of fertility cults.

Pic Credit – Wikimedia Commons