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Inscribed Unicorn Seals from Bagasra, Gujarat: a Comparative Analysis of Morphology, Carving Styles, and Distribution Patterns

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Inscribed Unicorn Seals from Bagasra, Gujarat: a Comparative Analysis of Morphology, Carving Styles, and Distribution Patterns Inscribed Unicorn Seals from Bagasra, Gujarat: A Comparative Analysis of Morphology, Carving Styles, and Distribution Patterns Gregg M. Jamison1, Bhanu Prakash Sharma2, P. Ajithprasad3, K. Krishnan3, Kuldeep K. Bhan3 and V. H. Sonawane3 1. Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin – Waukesha, 1500 N. University Dr., Waukesha, WI 53188, USA (Email: [email protected]) 2. Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala – 695 581, India (Email: [email protected]) 3. Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat – 390 002, India (Email: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; vhsonawane@ rediffmail.com) Received: 18 July 2017; Revised: 13 September 2017; Accepted: 01 November 2017 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 5 (2017): 01‐21 Abstract: Excavations at the Indus site of Bagasra (Gola Dhoro) conducted by the Department of Archaeology, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda uncovered significant quantities and varieties of material culture, including inscribed steatite seals. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of this assemblage, including morphology, carving styles, and distribution patterns. Using complimentary research methods, it has been possible to identify variation in seal carving styles and techniques, as well as patterns that represent the products of distinct artisans and workshops. Taken together, the results highlight the significance of detailed studies of seals from individual sites to learn more about this important craft industry throughout the Indus Civilization as a whole. Keywords: Indus Civilization, Inscribed Steatite Seals, Bagasra, Gujarat, Technology, Style, Distribution Introduction Since their discovery heralded the announcement of a new ancient civilization, inscribed steatite seals of the Indus or Harappan Civilization (2600‐1900 BCE) have captivated scholars and the general public alike. Today we understand that these objects were very important during the Indus period, serving multiple purposes and recording and transmitting culturally significant information. They have been found at many Indus sites and are now often used to identify its Harappan character. While a considerable amount of energy has been expended studying Indus seals over the last century, very few detailed analyses of seals from individual sites have been ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 5: 2017 undertaken. This research attempts to address this problem through an examination of the seals recovered from the site of Bagasra (Gola Dhoro) in Gujarat. Analyses conducted on seven seals engraved with the unicorn animal motif have yielded new insights into the distribution, metric attributes, and carving styles of these artifacts. Using basic descriptive and spatial analyses, we have determined that the sample of seals from Bagasra is actually quite variable in terms of metric properties and spatial distributions at the site. Formal analyses of unicorn iconography have revealed variability and the identification of a pair of seals that appear to represent a unique carving style. While the limited scope of the current study precludes robust interpretations about the relationships between seals recovered at Bagasra and other sites, the results do suggest that future research focusing on comparative analyses can be used to identify inter‐site patterns among seals recovered at various sites in Gujarat and beyond. These can be utilized fruitfully to investigate the nature and scale of variation in the corpus of Indus seals. Such studies will advance our awareness of Indus seal production and ultimately one of the world’s earliest state‐level societies. Figure 1: Major Indus Sites and Interaction Networks (Courtesy: J. M. Kenoyer) The Indus Civilization The ancient Indus or Harappan Civilization represents the earliest manifestation of urbanism in South Asia (Kenoyer 1998), and today its material remains are dispersed over a vast area located primarily in modern Pakistan and northwestern India (Figure 1). Our understanding of the Indus has been informed almost exclusively through 2 Jamison et al. 2017: 01‐21 archaeological investigations, today more than 1500 sites are known, distributed over one and a half million square kilometers (Kenoyer 1998). The remains of the Harappan Civilization include cities and villages, craft centers, river stations, campsites, fortified palaces, and probable ports. The Indus Tradition (Kenoyer 2008; Shaffer 1992; Table 1) is one of the chronological frameworks used to document the history of cultural adaptations in the region where the Harappan civilization flourished. While the sophisticated urbanism that characterizes the Indus Civilization reached its apex during the Integration Era of the Harappa Phase (2600‐1900 BCE), the processes responsible for these developments have their antecedents during the Early Food‐ Producing and Regionalization Eras. In addition to large, well‐planned urban centers, the Integration Era is also characterized by material homogeneity, although recent studies indicate that regional variation is present in many forms of material culture (Kenoyer 2008). Most of the published corpus of Harappan seals with known stratigraphic contexts has been dated to the Integration Era, and therefore it is the most important chronological period for this research. Table 1: Chronology of the Indus Tradition (after Kenoyer 2008; Shaffer 1992) Era Phases Time Period Foraging Era Mesolithic and Microlithic 10000‐2000 BCE Early Food Producing Era Mehrgarh 7000‐5500 BCE Early Harappan Phases: Ravi, Hakra, Balakot, Amri, Regionalization Era 5500‐2600 BCE Sheri Khan Tarakai, Kot Diji, Sothi Harappan Phase: 2600‐1900 BCE Harappa Site Period 3A 2600‐2450 BCE Integration Era Harappa Site Period 3B 2450‐2200 BCE Harappa Site Period 3C 2200‐1900 BCE Late Harappan Phases: Localization Era 1900‐1300 BCE Punjab, Jhukar, Rangpur Kenoyer (2000) has argued that the Indus cities were ruled by competing groups of elites, likely composed of merchants, landowners, and ritual specialists. Some of these elites would have been literate, using writing on pottery and inscribed seals to record economic transactions, important rituals, and communicate over great distances. This form of sociopolitical organization can be characterized by a city‐state or decentralized state model. These competing groups of elites, as well as the majority of the rest of society, were likely integrated at multiple levels, including economic interaction and a poorly understood ideological system (Kenoyer 2000). It is clear that the Indus represents a complex, urban civilization that is unique in comparison with contemporary polities in the Old World. The similarities in material culture and urban planning suggest the presence of a complex administrative body that would have integrated major urban centers and smaller settlements alike (Kenoyer 2008). This 3 ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 5: 2017 integration would have been accomplished in part through the production and use of numerous craft items, including inscribed steatite seals. Figure 2: Harappan Stamp Seal with Unicorn Motif (Courtesy: www.Harappa.com) Inscribed Steatite Seals Seals represent one of the most important forms of inscribed objects from the Indus Civilization (Kenoyer 1998; Rissman 1989). While there is a considerable amount of variation in the types and sizes of inscribed seals from the Indus Civilization, the most common are often referred to as stamp seals (Mackay 1931) because they were used to stamp wet clay, and this interpretation has been supported by the discovery of seal impressions and sealings. Within the category of Harappan stamp seals there are two principal types, square seals that usually depict a line or two of script with an accompanying animal motif (Figure 2), and rectangular seals or tablets that often depict only script (Rissman 1989). Square seals engraved with the unicorn motif are 4 Jamison et al. 2017: 01‐21 the most common type found at Harappan sites, including Bagasra, and therefore will be the primary focus of this study. It is referred to as a unicorn because it appears to represent a single‐horned bovid, and the fact that it is represented in other forms of material culture including terracotta figurines suggests that it was meant to portray an animal that is distinct from two‐ horned animals that appear on other seals (Kenoyer 2010). In addition to the body and horn it is usually engraved with a number of other details, some of which are very small and finely carved, including the eye, ear, legs and hooves, tail, pizzle (penis), and standard, or ritual stand. Additional decorations include incising on the face and neck, halter (shoulder), and standard. Previous studies (e.g. Franke‐Vogt 1992; Rissman 1989) suggest that the ways in which these are carved vary considerably, an observation supported by the results of this study. Another important feature of unicorn seals is the presence of a short inscription, usually found at the top and consisting of a series of characters representing the Harappan script that has yet to be deciphered. The uses and function of the script engraved on seals would have been diverse and included recording various economic transactions, administrative activities, important rituals, and personal identification and ownership
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