Harappan Civilizations & the Aryan Migration (ca. 2300-1750 B.C.E.)
Artist: unknown
Title: Male figure with trefoil motif on robe, Priest(?), back view
Material: Steatite
Site: Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan
Current Location: National Museum of Pakistan (Karachi Museum), Pakistan
Period/Date: Indus/Harrapa Civilization/ ca. 2300-1750 B.C.E.
Iconography/Iconology: Priest(?). The filet worn around the head is
a mark of religious attainment in later Indic religions. This image is clearly
a visual predictor of that usage, although the specific meaning is not known.
The ties of the filet hanging down the back have a long history in Indic
art and are used to indicate attainment and richness in various later forms.
The fact that they are already present in this sculpture from the Harrapan
period strongly suggests a continuity of this particular element.
Stylistic Comments: The simple modeling of the facial features suggests
the Indic equivalent of an archaic style.
