Published: 10:55 AM, 17 January 2021 Last Update: 11:00 AM, 17 January 2021
Lady of the spiked throne: A priceless Harappan mystery!
-Riffat Ahmed
The tale is about 5000 years old. In such ancient times, building a smooth urban civilization was somewhat unthinkable. But turns out people were capable of making it possible and thus, the Indus Valley Civilization was brought to life. The ‘Harappan Civilization’, formed on the banks of the Iravati (Ravi) River by archaeologist Charles Mason, is one of the most important names in the history of the Indian subcontinent, a part of the Indus Valley Civilization.
Located in the Punjab province of Pakistan, the city of Harappa dates back to 3000 BC. So do the mysterious Harappan antiquities, some of which have been preserved, and some stolen by collectors. One such stolen specimen is this particular vehicle, discovered in 2009 by Italian archaeologist Massimo Vidale, named ‘Cow Boat’. There is enough reason to call it a cow boat; this vehicle is apparently just a bull sitting on one knee. Massimo Vidale himself had confirmed that this is a specimen of the Harappan civilization and the area around Mehergarh. He once received an invitation from his collector to examine the archeology, and despite his opposition to the stolen goods, Massimo Vidal accepted the invitation and wrote "The Lady of the Spiked Throne."
One of the contemporary civilizations of the Harappan civilization is Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq, northern Syria, northern Turkey, and Khuzestan in Iran is part of Mesopotamia) and Egyptian civilization. Harappa carried trades on land and water in Iraq, Iran, and Turkmenistan. Some variations of the mysterious cowboats match the archeology of Mesopotamia and Egyptian civilization. From this it can be inferred that a deep connection existed between the Harappan, Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations.
The design of the vehicle has been found during the Mesopotamian Uruk period and at the Choga Mish site in Khuzestan, Iran. The aquatic herb and wave-like design of the bull's body have also been seen in Sumerian iconography. Some designs from the 4th millennium BC show that the Egyptians used some of these large boats. It symbolizes the political dominance of the Egyptians and the success of the war. When the king died there, such significant relics were buried with the king's body.
The Harappan civilization was maternal. The extent to which women were respected in Harappa can be understood by looking at some of their ancient tombs. From 1996 to 2003, the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) conducted excavations in the Hisar region of Haryana and recovered some ancient tombs of Harappa. The report released by the ASI examining the graves states that "the dignity and standard of living of women in the Harappan society was far superior to that of the men and the Harappan society was quite progressive in the advancement of women."
According to archaeologists, in those days clay pots and various ornaments were placed in the graves of the dead to honor them. The graves found in the ASI's excavations showed that the female bodies had more than twice as many potteries and earthen ornaments as the men. Studies also show that the widows’ funerals were the most revered events back then. Moreover, the number and structure of female idols of Harappa suggest that mother worship was prevalent there at that time.
Even the speciality of the ‘cowboat’ was primarily women. The demeanor and costumes of the female characters in the vehicle prove that it is an archeology built in a matriarchal society. That is, this vehicle gives us evidence of a women-centric civilization 5,000 years ago.
The cowboat looks like a bull-headed structure. The body of this bull has designs of aquatic herbs and cobra snakes. The four legs of the bull are folded in the lower part of the vehicle and the end of the vehicle has a canopy-like design. There are also designs on the top of the tent. Beneath the canopy is the largest female statue in a seven-pointed (2 horizontal and 5 vertical) seats. Her legs are placed on a low seat and there are two small bull statues in place of the two handles of the seat. Adjacent to the walls of the tent on either side of the seat are two statues of four men, each thought to be the servant or bodyguard of the woman sitting on the throne. These servant idols were molded, meaning that the idols of this servant were very popular in that era. These servant statues have been made in the most carelessly or hastily. In the open part of the front of the camp, in a tool-like triangular seat, four women and four men are sitting in two rows in pairs, leaving behind the female statue of the throne. There is a narrow path between the two rows.
In front of these eight men and women, where the bull's hut is supposed to be, there is a three-step staircase, and on either side of the staircase are two male statues facing the woman on the throne. All male idols have the same head and neck. There is a handle at the very end of the vehicle which is thought to be used to transport it from place to place. The most notable feature of this vehicle, with a total of 15 passengers, is that the women are larger in size than the men. Even their seats are taller and the female statue on the throne is the largest. Also every male idol is clothed while the females are naked. Another remarkable thing is that the kind of clothes that the male passengers are wearing in the vehicle have never been seen anywhere.
According to Massimo Vidal's experiments, the vehicle was built in around 2600 BC and the contrast in the male and female statues represents the Harappan social system. However, the idea behind their making and the identity of the female idol on the throne still remains a mystery. Whether such a vehicle existed or it is just a figment of their imagination is still a question that lurks within our minds. Maybe the woman on the throne is a queen or a religious leader or a goddess. Maybe it's an image of a procession or a ritual. The true idea behind the construction of this invaluable archeology remains unknown till date.
There is a lot of controversy about whether this vehicle is actually a water or land vessel, with various arguments on both sides. However, archaeologist Massimo Vidale is more comfortable with the idea of it being a water vessel referring to its structure and design. In particular, the design of its aquatic plants and its wave-like decoration influenced him to think of archeology as a water vehicle.
This strange artefact has to be given a special place if we were to make a list of the strangest specimens of ancient times. Some have even suggested that it may be a flying ship for aliens. Its strange and unique construction style conveys a hazy history and unknown mysteries; the mysteries that take us into the world of fiction.
Like this artefact, many have been stolen over time. If such crimes are not stopped immediately, the existence of many special features will remain beyond the scope of our knowledge, which is by no means desirable. Therefore, we must take drastic measures so that we are not deprived of the knowledge of such a precious resource.
The writer is Chairperson of Siddiqui's International School and Treasurer of Bangladesh English Medium Schools' Assistance Foundation (BEMSAF)
