Article ID: CBB301624329

Astronomical clues in unicorn iconography of the Harappan civilization (2022)

unapi

Unicorn imagery on the seals of the Harappan civilization (HC) is shown to be a chimera. This study tries to interpret the iconography of the unicorn and the associated cult object in terms of interrelated myths-specifically Vedic myths around Prajāpati as Mṛgaśiraṣa (Orion). A reading of composite seal M1171 depicting the body of a bull with protomes of a bull, unicorn and an antelope strengthens our interpretation. The research implies that the Mature Phase of the HC within the timeframe of ~ 2600–1900 BCE may reveal memories of the Vedic astronomy as we understand it since millennia.

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Authors & Contributors
M. Willis Monroe
Percivaldi, Elena
Janni, Pietro
Thomas Honegger
Tseng, Lan-ying
Theodossiou, Efstratios
Concepts
Mythology
Astronomy
Animals, mythical
Visual representation; visual communication
Science and literature
Science and religion
Time Periods
Ancient
Medieval
19th century
Han dynasty (China, 202 B.C.-220 A.D.)
17th century
16th century
Places
Greece
Egypt
Rome (Italy)
Middle and Near East
England
Europe
Institutions
Crystal Palace
British Association for the Advancement of Science
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