Art+and+Architecture+-+The+Indus+Valley

​ - This sample seal of the ancient Indus Valley demonstrates the signifigance of animals in the Indus Valley. Animals, such as the bull, were necessary for farming and agriculture to become successful. Domestic animals were used to control farming tools and mechanisms and cover wide areas of land that people could not cover alone. People in the Indus River Valley respected the bull not only for it's advantages for agriculture, but it also had a religious signifigance. The symbol of the Goddess, Shiva, was the bull. People worshipped and sacrificed bulls to the Goddess to please her and ensure a good place and role in their next life. the bull was often depicted on seals and was thought to possess power.

- The advanced architecture of the Indus River Valley contributed to the overall success of the civilization. The complex irrigation canals they built helped with farming and agriculture. Water could be vastly distributed to different parts of the area easily thanks to the system of irrigation canals and there was a also a complex drainage system. The houses, facilities, markets, offices, and public baths were arranged in a gridlike scheme. - The statues and figurines created in the Indus River Valley were styled like the art of some of comtemporary Mesopotamia. Most statuettes were made from steatite and limestone. Many statues and paintings were adorned with animals and "mother" figurines were popular as well. Most art had religious signifigance such as the above depiction of a priest. There were many figurines made to took like a pregnant women, because they supposedly held power and good fortune for a pregnant woman in real life. People worshipped these goddess figures and withheld the belief that they would bring good fortune if you remained on their good side. -It is believed, that the people of the Indus River Valley worshipped animals to a certain extent. The animal figurines depicted early Hindu Gods and were worshipped and thought to hold power. There is one figure of a seal sitting in a yoga-like position that seemed to represent a God.