Early Harappan Terracotta Jar with Geometric Motifs

The Early Harappan Civilization, c. 3200–2600 BC, Sindh, Pakistan

A magnificent petite spool-shaped terracotta jar, exemplary of early Indus Valley ceramic traditions. The vessel features a short cylindrical body, a narrow neck, and a slightly projecting rim, with the gently corseted walls adorned in striking horizontal painted bands rendered in deep black pigment.

This type of fine-fired earthenware is believed to have originated from Mehrgarh, one of the oldest known Neolithic settlements in South Asia, located in Baluchistan. From Mehrgarh and neighboring centers, such pottery was widely traded across Baluchistan, extending as far as southeastern Iran and deep into the Indus Valley. Its presence at archaeological layers in Harappa dating to 2800–2600 BCE — and possibly earlier — attests to its broad circulation via trade and nomadic exchange networks.

The painted motifs include a mix of geometric patterns, stylized flora, and abstracted animal forms, characteristic of early Harappan symbolic language. While evocative of a sophisticated decorative tradition, these designs likely held ritual or cultural significance, possibly tied to identity, trade, or ceremonial use. Interestingly, this ceramic style ceased production around the onset of the Mature Harappan period (c. 2600 BCE), marking it as part of a transitional artistic phase and underscoring its importance as an early cultural artifact.

A rare and elegant example of proto-urban Indus Valley craftsmanship, this vessel captures a moment of aesthetic and cultural transformation at the dawn of South Asia’s first great civilization.

Good condition. Intact. Surface wear commensurate with age, minor chips and scratches to the body, painted decoration faded, with encrusted patina and rich earthen deposits throughout. Size approx. 7,0cm x 7,0cm x 5,9cm. 

Provenance: British private collection.

References and further reading:

The Harappan Civilisation: Its Sub-cultures, Roshen Dalal, The Pioneer, Thursday, 10 May 2018.

Indus Valley Civilization, Mark, Joshua J., World History Encyclopedia, Last modified October 07, 2020 (https://www.worldhistory.org/Indus_Valley_Civilization/).

The Indus Civilization: A Contemporary Perspective, Gregory L. Possehl, AltaMira Press, 2002.