Ornament Styles of the Indus Valley Tradition : Evidence from Recent Excavations at Harappa, Pakistan

Recent excavations at Harappa and Mehrgarh, as well as other sites in Pakistan and India have provided new opportunities to study the ornaments of the Indus Civilization. A brief discussion of the methodologies needed for the study of Indus ornaments is presented along with examples of how Indus artisans combined precious metals, stone beads, shell and faience to form elaborate ornaments. Many of these ornament styles were also copied in more easily obtained materials such as steatite or terra-cotta. The social and ritual implications of specific ornaments are examined through their archaeological context and comparisons with the function of specific ornaments are recorded in the ancient texts and folk traditions of South Asia.