[Solved] Animals in Harappan Art | Cow Not Represented

Which one of the following animals was not represented on the seals and terracotta art of the Harappan culture?

[UPSC CSE Prelims 2001, Paper I]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Harappan art (seals and terracotta) depicts a wide range of flora and fauna, which provides clues about their environment and religious beliefs.

Authentic Source Evidence

Standard seals like the Pashupati seal show elephant, tiger, rhino, and buffalo. However, the cow is conspicuously absent from the entire corpus of Harappan art.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: The cow was the central animal of the subsequent Vedic period, but not the Harappan period art.

Logic 2: Elephants, tigers, and rhinoceros were frequently depicted, often in a ritualistic or naturalistic context on steatite seals.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Why is the absence of the cow significant in comparing Harappan and Vedic cultures?"

It suggests a fundamental shift in religious and economic focus from the bull/unicorn (Harappan) to the cow (Vedic) as the primary sacred and economic unit.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"The 'Bull' (Zebu) was common in IVC art, representing strength or fertility, while the 'Cow' only gained prominence in the later pastoral Vedic society."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Steatite Seals 2 Zebu Bull 2

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