Question

With reference to Harappan seals, consider the following statements:

1. The purpose of producing seals was mainly commercial.

2. The standard Harappan seal was a square plaque 2×2 square inches, usually made from the soft river stone, steatite, but no seal was made of gold and ivory.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 1 : 1 only

The correct answer is 1 only.

• ​Archaeologists have discovered thousands of seals, usually made of steatite, and occasionally of agate, chert, copper, faience and terracotta, with beautiful figures of animals, such as unicorn bull, rhinoceros, tiger, elephant, bison, goat, buffalo, etc. at various sites of Indus valley.
• The purpose of producing seals was mainly commercial. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• It appears that the seals were also used as amulets, carried on the persons of their owners, perhaps as modern-day identity cards.
• Every seal is engraved in a pictographic script which is yet to be deciphered.
• They all bear a great variety of motifs, most often of animals including those of the bull, with or without the hump, the elephant, tiger, goat and also monsters.

• The standard Harappan seal was a square plaque 2×2 square inches, usually made from the soft river stone, steatite.
• Some seals have also been found in gold and ivory. Hence, statement 2 is NOT correct.

• Sometimes trees or human figures were also depicted.
• The most remarkable seal is the one depicted with a figure in the centre and animals around.
  • This seal is generally identified as the Pashupati Seal by some scholars whereas some identify it as the female deity.
  • This seal depicts a human figure seated cross-legged.
  • An elephant and a tiger are depicted to the right side of the seated figure, while on the left a rhinoceros and a buffalo are seen.