SEALS IN HARAPPA–INDUS CIVILIZATION

Year 2023, Volume: 15 Issue: 1, 257 - 269, 15.02.2023

Ercüment Yıldırım , Kadriye Leyla Gökşen

Abstract

Between 3000 and 1500 BC, their societies, which had a unique way of life in the valley of the Indus and Saraswati Rivers, developed a culture called the Harappa – Indus Civilization. The people of this civilization developed unique technologies to ensure the continuity of their lives and built irrigation canals, baths, advanced drainage systems and large granaries in the 3rd and 4th millennium BC. The geography where the Harappa-Indus civilization was formed is very rich in natural resources and the people living in the region evaluated the advantages of the geography. As a result, an efficient agricultural production system and a systematically functioning commercial structure were formed. While the members of the Harappan-Indus civilization increased their mineral processing skills, they also carried out large-scale livestock activities. The greatest evidence of their development in stone and mining has been the archaeological materials that have survived to the present day. They used the finely crafted artifacts they produced, as well as transported them to neighboring geographies through the merchant class. In the meantime, various forms of seals were used due to the regulation of commercial relations and the need for security. These seals basically show who owns the property right and also give information about the cultural structure of the period. The writing of the Harappa – Indus civilization is still unresolved, so information cannot be obtained from the texts that have reached our days. Therefore, the importance of seals, which contain the most understandable data on how the development of civilization was achieved, has increased and it has gained importance to research. In this study, the types, styles and forms will be determined based on the materials used in the construction of the seals in the Harappa-Indus civilization and the purpose of use and their importance will be explained.

Keywords

Harappa, Indus, Lothal, Seal

HARAPPA – İNDUS MEDENİYETİNDE MÜHÜRLER

Abstract

MÖ 3000-1500 yılları arasında İndus ve Saraswati Nehirleri Vadisinde kendine özgü yaşam biçimine sahip olan toplumlar, Harappa – İndus olarak isimlendirilen medeniyeti meydana geliştirmiştir. Bu medeniyetin insanları, hayatlarının devamlılığını sağlamak amacıyla özgün teknolojiler geliştirmişlerdir. MÖ 3. ve 4. binyıl gibi erken dönemlerde sulama kanalları, hamamlar, gelişmiş drenaj sistemleri ve büyük tahıl ambarları inşa etmişlerdir. Harappa – İndus medeniyetinin oluştuğu coğrafya doğal kaynaklar bakımından oldukça zengin olup bölgede yaşayan insanlar coğrafyanın artılarını değerlendirmiştir. Bunun sonucunda verimli bir tarımsal üretim düzeni ve sistemli bir şekilde işleyen ticari yapı oluşmuştur. Harappa-İndus medeniyetinin mensupları maden işleme becerilerini artırırken geniş ölçekli hayvancılık faaliyeti de yürütmüşlerdir. Taş ve maden işçiliğinde gelişmişliklerinin en büyük kanıtı günümüze ulaşmış olan arkeolojik materyaller olmuştur. Ürettikleri ince işçilikli zanaat eserlerini kendileri kullandıkları gibi tüccar sınıfı vasıtasıyla komşu coğrafyalara da ulaştırmışlardır. Bu esnada ticari ilişkilerin düzenlenmesi ve güvenlik ihtiyacından dolayı çeşitli formda mühürler kullanılmıştır. Bu mühürler, temelde mülkiyet hakkının kime ait olduğunu gösterdiği gibi dönemin kültürel yapısı ile ilgili bilgilerde vermektedir. Harappa – İndus medeniyetinin yazısı halen çözümlenemediği için günümüze ulaşan metinlerden bilgi edinilememektedir. Bundan dolayı medeniyetin gelişiminin nasıl sağlandığı konusunda en anlaşılabilir verileri içeren mühürlerin önemi artmış ve araştırılması önem kazanmıştır. Bu çalışmada, Harappa – İndus medeniyetindeki mühürlerin yapımında kullanılan materyallerden yola çıkarak tipleri, stilleri ve biçimleri saptanıp kullanım amaçları ile önemi açıklanmaya çalışılacaktır.

Keywords

Harappa, İndus, Lothal, Mühür

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