2] Classification of India Architecture

Indian Architecture can be classified into as follows -

(i) Ancient India: Harappa Art, Mauryan Art, Post Mauryan Art, Gupta Age Art, South India Architecture

(ii) Medieval India: Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Period. (iii)Modern India: Indo - Gothic Style, Neo- Roman Style.

3] Harappan Civilization (Indus Valley Civilization) Art

Harappan civilization emerged during second half of the third millennium BCE and was a Bronze Age Civilization. Along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia it was one of the three early civilizations of the world. It flourished in the basins of the Indus River, one of the major rivers of Asia, and the Ghaggar - Hakra River, which once coursed through northwest India and eastern Pakistan. The two major sites of the Indus valley civilization are along the Indus River. The cities of Harappa in the north and Mohenjo-Daro in the south showcase one of the earliest examples of civil planning. While Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are situated in Pakistan, the important sites excavated in India are Lothal and Dholavira in Gujrat, Rakhigarhi in Haryana, Ropar in Punjab, Kalibangan and Balathal in Rajasthan, etc.At its peak, the Indus Civilization may have had a population of over five million.

3.1 Seals

Seals are square, rectangular or circular or triangular piece of material (mainly stones). The standard Harappan seal was a square plaque 2×2 square inches, usually made from the soft river stone, steatite. Every seal is engraved in pictographic script along with animal impressions which are yet to be deciphered. Some of seals have also been found in gold and Ivory. On an average 5 signs or symbols are present on a seal. Direction of writing is right to left. They all bear a great variety of motifs, most often of animals including those of the bull, the elephant, tiger, goat and also monsters. Sometimes trees or human figures were also depicted. Most important example is Pashupati Seal and Unicorn Seal which are shown below.

Pashupati Seal

Unicorn Seal