Asian Art Indus Valley

Front 1

Indus Valley: Urban center

Back 1

- Mahenjo-daro
- based on trade
- supported by farming
- developed: paved streets, large public buildings, blocks of houses, fortifications, all made of fired mud bricks

Front 2

Indus Valley: social hierarchy

Back 2

- low city
v.
- high city- "citadel"
-- great bath- ritual bathing
-- granary- controlled by high class people, they can mobilize lower citizens
- house size varies,

Front 3

Indus Valley: monumental architecture

Back 3

- great bath- ritual bathing
- granary- stores grain and food

Front 4

Indus Valley: writing- description, height, used for?

Back 4

- carved clay seals (figure 1.4)
- 99% show animals: bison, bulls, unicorn, 3 headed animal?
- height: 1.5 inches
- not yet readable
- used for? stamps for trade, religious purposes

Front 5

Indus Valley: metallurgy

Back 5

- copper dancing girl
- differs from stone (male bust) and soil (ritual vessels)

Front 6

Indus Valley: Great Bath

Back 6

- development of high technology: built from laid bricks, used a drainage system
- part of the high city= evidence of social hierarchy; only elite use this bath

Front 7

Indus Valley: Terra- cotta female figures (figure 1.3): description, size, exemplifies?

Back 7

- exemplifies? mother g-ddess, female fertility
- ritual or religious symbol

Front 8

Indus Valley: Carved Shiva Seal (figure 1.4b): description, exemplifies?

Back 8

- three heads (1 frontal, 2 profile)
- wears a trident headdress
- yoga posture, meditating
- placed in the center; surrounded by animals
- exemplifies: a deity from Indus Valley civilization, prototype shiva (among Hindu deities), shaman or religious leader

Front 9

Indus Valley: Male Bust (figure 1.5: material, design, exemplifies, significance?

Back 9

- material: limestone
- trefoil design
- simple, abstract, geometric--> a mysterious, meditative mood
- exemplifies? high priest or priest king
- significance? one of the few limestone sculptures in the IV, the design is not found in the IV (found in Crete= EVIDENCE OF IMPORTATION

Front 10

Indus Valley: Nude Male torso (figure 1.6: description, height, exemplifies?

Back 10

- shape: twisted, movement
- height: 4-6 inches
- material: stone
- exemplifies? prototype of dancing Shiva (Shiva as Lord of the Dance)

Front 11

Indus Valley Civilization dates

Back 11

2500-1500 BCE
- metal age began around 2000 BCE accompanied by the development of urban centers
- Mohenjo- daro and Harrappa= ancient city-states

Front 12

Indus Valley: artifacts recovered from Mohenjo-daro: pottery, carts, jewelry,

Back 12

- funerary pottery pained in black (figure 1.1): reddish clay, geometric designs, connected to graves and funerary rituals
- miniature wheeled carts (figure 1.2): probably toys or offerings
- jewelery: belt of carnelian beads, bracelets, necklaces