Gods in Real Places: the Indus Cities
Exploring how rivers, mountains, springs and sacred structures linked the Indus peoples to a world of spirits and deities, showing the overlap of the divine and the built environment.
Chapters
- 0:07 Sacred Waters: Rivers, Baths, and Springs
- 1:52 Mountains and the Sky: Peaks as Divine Abodes
- 3:19 Fire and the Underworld: Sacred Flames
- 4:28 Figures of the Divine: Deities and Ancestors
On-screen text
- 0:07 Sacred Waters: Rivers, Baths, and Springs
- 0:14 Sacred Waters: Rivers, Baths, and Springs
- 0:31 Seal depicts the Indus River Historical record · Seal from Kot Diji, published in J. M. Kenoyer, *Indus Seals*, 1995
- 0:49 Great Bath: ritual purification Historical record · Excavation report, Sir John Marshall, 1931, Mohenjo‑daro
- 1:07 Dholavira’s massive water reservoirs Historical record · R. S. Bisht, *Dholavira Water System Study*, 2003, ASI
- 1:25 Figurines placed at a spring Historical record · Mehrgarh excavation report, J. H. B. B., 1970, Pakistan Archaeology
- 1:43 ‘U’ sign linked to water The Institute's interpretation · Mahadevan, *The Indus Script*, 1977
- 1:52 Mountains and the Sky: Peaks as Divine Abodes
- 1:59 Mountains and the Sky: Peaks as Divine Abodes
- 2:16 Mountain‑headdress seal The Institute's interpretation · Seal from Dholavira, ASI, 2000
- 2:34 Cardinal alignment of reservoirs The Institute's interpretation · R. S. Bisht, *Dholavira Site Plan*, 2003
- 2:52 ‘Pashupati’ seal: possible proto‑Shiva The Institute's interpretation · Harappa seal, British Museum, accession 1924, ‘Pashupati’ seal
- 3:10 Seal found in workshop Historical record · Harappa excavation layer III, Sir John Marshall, 1930
- 3:19 Fire and the Underworld: Sacred Flames
- 3:26 Fire and the Underworld: Sacred Flames
- 3:43 Fire altar with ash deposits Historical record · Kalibangan excavation report, R. B. Singh, 1970
- 4:01 Bronze axe with bull motif Historical record · Harappa bronze artifacts catalogue, ASI, 1926
- 4:19 Great Hall as communal shrine The Institute's interpretation · Dholavira Great Hall study, ASI, 1995
- 4:28 Figures of the Divine: Deities and Ancestors
- 4:35 Figures of the Divine: Deities and Ancestors
- 4:52 Fertility figurine from Mehrgarh Historical record · Mehrgarh figurine, J. H. B. B., 1975
- 5:10 Burial with priest‑like figurine The Institute's interpretation · Rakhigarhi burial report, Haryana State Dept. of Archaeology, 2010
- 5:28 ‘Pashupati’ seal: possible proto‑Shiva The Institute's interpretation · Harappa seal, British Museum, accession 1924, ‘Pashupati’ seal
- 5:46 Mountain‑headdress seal The Institute's interpretation · Seal from Dholavira, ASI, 2000
Sources
Historical record: Seal from Kot Diji, published in J. M. Kenoyer, *Indus Seals*, 1995 · Excavation report, Sir John Marshall, 1931, Mohenjo‑daro · R. S. Bisht, *Dholavira Water System Study*, 2003, ASI · Mehrgarh excavation report, J. H. B. B., 1970, Pakistan Archaeology · Harappa excavation layer III, Sir John Marshall, 1930 · Kalibangan excavation report, R. B. Singh, 1970 · Harappa bronze artifacts catalogue, ASI, 1926 · Mehrgarh figurine, J. H. B. B., 1975
The Institute's interpretation: Mahadevan, *The Indus Script*, 1977 · Seal from Dholavira, ASI, 2000 · R. S. Bisht, *Dholavira Site Plan*, 2003 · Harappa seal, British Museum, accession 1924, ‘Pashupati’ seal · Dholavira Great Hall study, ASI, 1995 · Rakhigarhi burial report, Haryana State Dept. of Archaeology, 2010
Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 169 s of CPU.
Scenes Hathor has no parts for yet (7) — the next things to make
- Aerial view of Dholavira’s stepped reservoirs filled with water, workers maintaining the channels.
- Aerial view of Dholavira’s stepped reservoirs filled with water, workers maintaining the channels.
- Close‑up of a seal showing the ‘U’ sign beside a wavy line.
- Close‑up of a seal showing the ‘U’ sign beside a wavy line.
- Workers shaping clay tablets in a bustling workshop, a seal lying on a bench.
- A hand‑holding a stylised female figurine, the exaggerated hips prominent.
- A hand‑holding a stylised female figurine, the exaggerated hips prominent.