gems, ancient gems, glyptic, archaeology, archaeogemology, beads, chalcedony, Harrapa, jade, feldspar, amazonite, lapis lazuli, faience, ivory, shell, brecciated jasper in chalcedony, Indian lapidary, Central Asia

At the request of Mr. Madho Sarup Vats, Deputy Director General of Archaeology in India, I have undertaken to write a chapter on selected beads from Harappa. The fact that I cannot examine the entire collection has made it difficult to assess the likelihood of foreign importation, but Mr. Vats has been of great assistance in providing details on whether each specimen is unique, rare, or common, as well as information on the stratigraphic layer in which it was found. This data, combined with a close examination of the beads, has revealed some interesting possibilities regarding connections with other civilizations, particularly the Sumerian civilization in Mesopotamia. Since there appears to be little variation among the beads from different layers—many types occurring across several layers—I have chosen to group the beads by material rather than by stratigraphy. Several plates accompany the text for clarification. The first two are diagrammatic and show the beads arranged by shape according to the Beck Method of classification. Plate CXXIX illustrates beads in Group I, those with circular transverse sections, while Plate CXXX shows beads with non-circular transverse sections. Some plates also consist of microphotographs showing internal structure. One especially notable feature of the Harappa beads is the remarkably large number made from steatite. Nowhere else has such a high proportion of beads been found in this material. Moreover, the variety of treatment applied to the steatite is quite exceptional. While some beads are in natural stone, the vast majority have undergone heat treatment that whitens the surface. These are referred to as “burnt” steatite beads. Although I cannot be certain that intense heat was used in every instance, I have adopted the term nonetheless.