Dr. Tessitori’s Three Harappan Seals from Bikaner: An Appraisal

K.S. Shukla’s article commemorates the 80th anniversary of Dr. L.P. Tessitori’s death by reassessing three steatite seals he discovered in Bikaner in 1919. Although Tessitori did not realize their Harappan context, these seals predated the discoveries at Harappa and Mohenjodaro. Shukla notes that Tessitori died shortly after his find, so the recognition of the Indus Civilisation passed to later archaeologists. Because Tessitori’s boxes were opened en route to Italy, the original seals are lost; however, photographs of them survived thanks to his sister, who deposited his materials at the Bikaner Museum. Shukla describes each seal in detail. Seal No. 1 depicts a unicorn facing left with an incense‑burner motif below; its simple carving and three Indus signs suggest an early stage in seal carving. Seal No. 2 is rectangular with eight signs but no animal motif; the arrangement of signs in tiers hints at a syllabic script and the possibility of compound letters. Seal No. 3 shows a broken unicorn similar to the first but with different linear decoration. Shukla discusses broader issues raised by the seals: the uniqueness of the unicorn motif and its mythological significance; why certain objects appear in front of the animal; the purpose of Indus seals; and the Indus script and its decipherment. He references prior scholarship, including Mortimer Wheeler’s observations that the normal seal was square with a perforated boss on the back. Through detailed description and contextual analysis, Shukla argues that these Bikaner seals represent an early phase of the Harappan tradition and that Tessitori deserves recognition for discovering them.

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