RELIGION AND BELIEF SYSTEMS:
Without
the aid of written tests it is difficult to reconstruct the Indus religion. They
made clay figurines of animals, men and women that probably were used in special
rituals. Soft limestone was used to carve small sculptures of deities or
important people. Many of the seals have narrative scenes that appear to
represent deities and ceremonies.
The
Indus people buried their dead in wooden coffins along with many pottery vessels
that were probably filled with food for the after life. Most individuals both
male and female were buried with some simple ornaments, such as shell or copper
bangles and agate beads. Elaborate ornaments of gold, silver and precious stones
were never included in the burials and must have been inherited by the living
relatives. No royal burials have been found.
a. Burial Men:
The
body may have been wrapped in a shroud, and was then placed inside a wooden
coffin, which was entombed in a rectangular pit surrounded with burial offerings
in pottery vessels. The man was buried wearing a long necklace of 340 graduated
steatite beads and three separate pendant beads made of natural stone and three
gold beads. A single copper bead was found at his waist.
The most
prominent pendent bead is made of a rare variety of onyx natural eye designs in
alternating shades of red, white. Tan, and green. Gold beads were placed at each
end to frame this important ornament. The other two stone beads were made of
banded jasper and turquoise, with a single gold bead at one of the turquoise
bead.
b. Burial Women:
The body of the
burial women is flipped and the pottery distributed, the left arm of the woman
is broken and shell bangles that would normally be found on the left arm are
missing. The infant was buried in a small pit beneath the legs of the mother.
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