While the Indus Valley Civilisation is known for its functional architecture and bureaucratic urban planning, there are indications that the people did achieve - fleetingly - high level of artistic expression.

For example, this sculpted Red Jasper Male Torso (9.5 cm high).

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The artefact is the remains of a larger statue, was excavated from Harappa from layers going back to 2200-1900 BC.

Among the more iconic artefacts are the so called bearded priest-king. It is uncertain though whether the figure is either.

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The other iconic artefact is the so called Dancing Girl of Mohanjodaro (2200-1900 BC).

While this is a bronze statue made from a wax casting, there are other ‘dancing figurines’ of both men and women. Unfortunately, all very damaged.

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We can make some interpretations about the nature of the civilisation and its people.

As we see from the terracotta figurine of a ‘Smiling Woman’ jewellery was an important aspect of the dress of the people.

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The other noticeable aspect is the pervasive sense of serenity.

This is evident in the quintessentially Indic ‘archaic smile’ in almost all figurines.

Also, in these haunting masks of Mohanjodaro.

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The most pervasive artefacts of the Indus Valley Civilisation are of course, the seals - found across the Indian subcontinent (except in the peninsular south), to the Arabian Peninsula to Mesopotamia.

Most curious is this deal showing horned and tailed humanoids.

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Man-animal hybrids are very prevalent in the symbology of the seals.

See (l) a horned female deity attacking a tiger like figure; and (r) a half human, half tiger like figure.

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Hydridisation was evident in representations of animals and trees, as well.

See (l) ‘unicorns’ emerging from a peepul tree. And (r) a composite animal that is bull, lion, with a very humanoid face.

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Strange humanoid figures also appear in other regions of the Greater Indus Valley Civilisation, such as the Kulli culture of Baluchistan.

(This figure is somewhat reminiscent of a lizard god worshipped in the ancient Sumerian city of Eridu).

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Of course, artistic creativity also extended to more mundane, everyday artefacts.

Such as these beautifully designed pots and jars, with enduring motifs of peacocks, peepul leaves, etc all of which survive in Indian art till today.

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While a lot of the symbolism in IVC art is strange to us, there also clear references to imagery that would become integral to Indian art and culture.

The most iconic is this ‘Mahayogi’ or Pashupatinath Seal, giving indications that ‘horned figures’ might be Saivic in nature.

The adoration of the ‘bovine’ is another element that continues as a theme into later Indian culture.

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There are seals which show the worship of trees (peepul) which have human figures ‘enclosed’ within them - reminiscent of the worship of yogis, or sages, in forests.

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The ‘human in a tree’ seal is possibly telling us a story - which is curiously reminiscent of the Jataka or Panchatantra tales - which are generally humorous stories of man-animal, or animal-animal interaction.

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See this painting shared by @hemantsarin https://twitter.com/hemantsarin/status/1312224694951505923

See my earlier thread on toy figurines from the IVC: https://twitter.com/sialmirzagoraya/status/1309840702872846336

As Punjabis, we often seem to forget the depth of our history, and the layers of human cultural expression which have gone into making our culture. It is important to look back, as far as we can: https://twitter.com/sialmirzagoraya/status/1307318799956230155

See: https://twitter.com/sialmirzagoraya/status/1312721885289869312