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Nature of Ornaments During Harappan Period – a Review

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Nature of Ornaments During Harappan Period – a Review Nature of Ornaments during Harappan Period – A Review Sikhasree Ray1 1. Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune 411006, Maharashtra, India Received: 15 October 2013; Accepted: 28 October 2013; Revised: 10 November 2013 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 1 (2013): 539‐555 Abstract: The excavated Harappan sites like Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan, Mehrgarh, Sanauli, Farmana and many others have given the evidence of different types of ornaments made out of various material. These ornaments are found in association with skeletons in the burials as well as in the Harappan settlements. Though they are few in numbers, they give a glimpse of their use by different sections of the society. A preliminary observation of the Harappan figurines and objects associated in the burials suggests that predominantly these ornaments were worn by the females. Moreover, some of the ornament patterns are seen to have been continued during the latter periods also. An attempt is made here to look into the preference of ornament in the Harappan society and also to look for the continuity of some of the patterns till the Early Historic period. Keywords: Ornaments, Harappan Period, Chalcolithic, Necklace, Bangles, Burials, Figurines Introduction The concept of ornaments and ornamentation forms an important aspect of human cultural attributes. It has a very long and continuing tradition. The use of ornaments in various forms may have taken place from very early period the evidence for which is, however, shrouded in obscurity. The archaeological evidence for using ornaments are found from the Upper Palaeolithic onwards in the form of various types of raw materials, shapes and sizes, and various designs and motifs used to decorate various parts of the body in India (Bednarik 1993: 33‐40; Sonawane 1996:84‐88). The earliest ornaments, evidenced from the Paleolithic period, are predominantly in the form of beads made of ostrich shells, a few in shells and bones. Bead as one of the ornaments and shell as the raw material used for making different types of ornaments are in existence from the Palaeolithic period onwards, even to the present day. The Harappan culture, regional Chalcolithic and subsequent periods have produced a huge amount of ornaments of different shape and materials like gold, copper, terracotta, semiprecious stone, shell, bones, ivory, seeds etc. The ornaments were designed to suit the personality, economic status and affordability of the individuals in a particular given ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 1: 2013 society in a cultural milieu. It also tells about the use of ornaments, preferences as well as the personal ideology and aesthetic sense of the period and the user. The archaeological findings from the excavations give an authentic evidence of ornaments that helps us having a clear idea about various aspects of the prevailing ornaments of a particular period. The excavations at a number of Harappan sites have revealed a large number of ornaments like beads, pendants, bangles, anklets and ear studs made out of various types of material. It tells that the Harappans were very fond of the ornamentation and were well advanced in the technology, and they were leading a well aesthetically appreciated life. The use or the concept of these ornaments like in relation to gender of the wearer of different ornament, actual use of some ornament, the way they were used are difficult to say depending on the finding only from a limited evidence. For the understanding of these concepts one has to rely on the ornaments found in association with burials, terracotta figurines and through the human depiction in the seals found from those periods. Therefore, in the present study an attempt has been done to review the different ornaments found from the Harappan sites, to understand this concept of ornament in this period through the study of burials offerings, figurines, seals giving evidence of ornaments and in the same time attempt is also made to see the continuation of some of the ornament in the later period. Important Sites Taken for Study The major sites taken for the study include Harrappa, Mohenjodaro, Surkotada, Farmana, Dholavira, Sanauli, Lothal, Kalibangan, Kuntasi, Bhirrana, Nageswar, Bhagbanpura, Mandi, Mitathal and Banawali. Ornaments from the Harappan Period Necklace Necklace made out of beads and pendants are important form of ornaments that have a very long history in the Indian subcontinent (Kenoyer 1991: 79‐98.).The Harappan people were very fond of wearing necklace which is evidenced from a number of figurines as well a huge amount of the beads recovered during excavations. The Harappans were wearing several necklaces with discs or long beads as pendant (Kenoyer 1991: 79‐98.). During the Harappan period, the necklaces were made out of beads of different materials mostly steatite, carnelian, agate, onyx, lapis lazuli, shell, gold, copper and terracotta. Beads of Steatites were more popular during this period and it is found almost in all the Harappan sites. Three quarters of the bead found at Mohenjo‐Daro were made up of the steatite (Mackay 1998) (Fig. 1). At Kuntasi out of 725 beads, 255 were made of micro steatite (Dhavalikar et al 1996) and 725 steatite beads are found from Surkotada (Joshi 1990). Moreover the beads made of steatite are also evident in association of burials from Farmana (Shinde et al 2010) (Fig 2), Harappa and Mohenjo‐Daro. Next preferable material was faience. Terracotta beads were also found in a good number but material being very cheap suggests that they must have 540 Ray 2013: 539‐555 been used or worn by the poorer sections of the people. The gold beads are very rarely found. One gold bead, small cup‐shaped with a tiny loop inside, has been found at Farmana (Figure 3). This was made of gold foil. Besides, there are a few fragments of gold probably used as ornaments. Gold beads are also evident from Harappa and Mohenjo‐Daro (Kenoyer 1991: 79‐98.), Lothal (Rao 1973, 1979) (Fig. 2 and 3) and some other sites (see table no.1). Mandi in Uttar Pradesh has yielded a hoard of gold beads (Tewari 2004) (Fig. 4). Silver was more common than gold. Copper and bronze were very frequently used. The main types of beads that are found in Harappan sites are: (Fig. 2 and 3). Type 1: Disc shape, this shape of bead is generally found made out of steatite. Type 2: Barrel shape, this type bead is more commonly found made out of agate. Type 3: Long barrel shape, this type of bead are mainly made of carnelian. Type 4: Long Tapered bead, this is also mostly made of carnelian. Type 5: Etched carnelian. Type 6: Faceted bead, this type of bead is mostly made of terracotta and some semiprecious stones. Type 7: Segmented bead, this type of bead is mainly made of terracotta or metal. Type 8: Tubular denticulate. Pendants Pendants found from the Harappan period are of different shapes and also from different materials (table no. 1). It has been observed from the Harappan figurines that the Harappan people were using the pendants very often as the part of necklace. A variety of pendants have been found from the Harappan sites as following: Type 1: An animal shaped and bird shaped pendants/ amulets have been discovered from Mohenjo‐Daro (Mackay 1998), and Harappa and from quite a number of other sites. Type 2: Shape of marine shells are also used as the pendant (Fig. 5). Type 3: Disc shaped (Fig.6): One pendant of ivory of this shape is found from Surkotada (Joshi 1990) having one hole at the top and decoration of two incised circles and 4 dots in one side and the other side is plain. At Mohenjo‐Daro, a plaque made out of terracotta with two holes at the top was found (Mackay 1998). This type of pendant is also made of thin metal sheet (Fig. 7). Type 4: Leaf shaped (Fig. 8). Type 5: Crescent shaped pendant evidenced from Kuntasi (Fig. 9). Type 6: Gamesman shape: This type of pendant is quite common in Harappan period (Fig.10). Type 7: Wheel spike shape/Floral shape (Fig. 11). Type 8: Drop shape (Fig. 12). Spacer Spacers are very less in number and mostly made of steatite. Among the spacers used 541 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 1: 2013 by the Harappan people, which is evidenced from almost all the sites are the spacers joined together or made of gold or silver sheet with one or more than one hole. This type of spacer in gold from Mohenjodaro and Mandi (Tewari 2004) (Fig.13) and in Silver from Kuntasi (Fig.14) are reported (Dhavalikar et al 1996). Ear Ornaments So far the ear ornaments are concerned the information found during Harappan period is meager. No ear ornaments that can be assigned as ear ornaments were found from Mohenjo‐Daro. Though some of the figurines are shown having ear ornaments. However unusual form of stud made of faience was found which appears to have been used as the ear ornaments at Mohenjo‐ daro (Mackay 1998). But from other sites of Harappan period quite a few type of ear ornaments have been noticed. The different types represented are: Type 1: It is circular disc type with a knob at back (Fig. 15). This has been evidenced from Mohenjoadro(Mackay 1998), Kuntasi(Dhavalikaret al 1996) and Surkotada (Joshi 1990). Type 2: Peg shape (Fig. 16), peg shaped is found at Kuntasi (Dhavalikar et al. 1996). Type 3: Pulley shape (Fig. 17): This shaped ear ornament is evidenced from Lothal(Rao 1973, 1979), Surkotada (Joshi 1990), Kuntasi (Dhavalikar et al. 1996) and some other sites.
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