An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s9.28

v1.c9.s9.28

Terracottas [17], associated more with the common folk than with the elite, provide another index to the level of artistry of a people. While the Harappa specimens do show a fairly rich variety, this is doubtless not as rich as, for example, that of contemporary Egypt. Most of the Harappa terracottas are hand-modelled, the eyes, ornaments, etc., being in appliqué by means of clay pallets, strips and the like. The mouth is often slit and the nose pinched up. A very common terracotta human figurine is that of the female, heavily ornamented and putting on a pannier head-dress. It has often been thought to represent the mother goddess [12.6] but may or may not have been so. However amongst other terracotta human figurines particular mention may be made of a tiny little head, hardly 3 cm in height, from KALIBANGAN which depicts the facial features so vividly that it at once reminds one of the famous steatite figure of the so-called priest from Mohenjo-daro. Special interest also attaches to another class of human figurines which are shown in various yogic poses (*āsanas*). These are evidently the earliest examples of the kind known from anywhere in the world.