Cleveland Museum of Art

Seal with Unicorn and Inscription

Date

c. 2000 BCE

Medium

steatite

Culture

Pakistan, Indus Valley civilization

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Indus Valley seals appear to have been hung on a string that passed through a boss on the reverse side. This animal, carved with detailed markings around his neck and forequarters, has his head positioned over an object on a stand that may be interpreted as an altar or brazier or censer; it is not known whether it is for offerings to or sacrifice of the animal. Specialists disagree as to whether single-horned bovines actually lived during the time of the Indus Valley Civilization, four thousand years ago.

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