The Indus Civilization c6.33

c6.33

Two amulets made in the same mould show that the effigy of at least one of the sacred animals—namely, the urus-bull—was carried in religious processions; for on these amulets a man is seen quite clearly to be carrying the figure of this animal on a stand. Another man behind the first bears the cult object always associated with this beast, while a third carries another standard of some kind resembling a pennon; but this is difficult to distinguish owing to the deterioration of the surface of the tablet. The writer has no doubt that the figures of the other animals carved on the seal-amulets were carried in exactly the same way; in fact, the scene on these two amulets recalls to mind the custom of bearing animals in religious processions in ancient Egypt.