{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O25161"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O25161/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LX7412/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019LX7412/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019LX7412","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O25161/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O25161","accessionNumber":"IS.8:1-1951","objectType":"Seal","titles":[{"title":"Seal and Impression","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":" Rectangular seal depicting  a standing unicorn or bull with a two-tiered receptacle on a pole beneath its head. There is a row of four pictograms along the top over the beast's body The animal has a harness round its neck and upper body.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steatite","id":"AAT11668"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"White steatite","categories":[{"text":"Writing","id":"THES261995"},{"text":"Tools and equipment","id":"THES48883"},{"text":"Animals and wildlife","id":"THES250852"},{"text":"Archaeology","id":"THES48874"}],"styles":[{"text":"Harappan","id":"AAT18870"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2019LX7412"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES394686"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Seal","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Mohenjo Daro","id":"x45838"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 2500 BC","earliest":"-2505-01-01","latest":"-2496-01-01"},"association":{"text":"made","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"IS.8:2-1951","id":"O1307023"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"1 1/16","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"1","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"0.5","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"A large number of seals of this type have been excavated from the Harappan civilization sites of the Indus Valley.  The majority are carved with animal figures and a pictographic inscription in a script which still remains undeciphered.  The unicorn or horned bull (?) is represented standing before a curious vessel, possibly to be interpreted as a container for the intoxicating soma liquid drunk by priests in Vedic rituals.","briefDescription":"Seal, steatite, Mohenjo Daro, Indus valley, 2500 B.C., Pakistan","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Guy, John: 'Indian Temple Sculpture', London, V & A Publication, 2007, p.139, pl.156.\r\nISBN 9781851775095."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Parpola, Asko, Pande, B.M. and Koskikallio, Petteri (eds.). Corpus of Indus Seals and Inscriptions. Volume 3: New material, untraced objects, and collections outside India and Pakistan. Part 1: Mohenjo-daro and Harappa. Helsinki 2010. pp. 34 and 415, number M-1727."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.8:1-1951"],"accessionNumberNum":"8","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1951,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-02","recordCreationDate":"2000-02-14","availableToBook":false}}