gems, gemology, glyptic, engraved gems, gemoarchaeology, Harappa, Pakistan, beads, shell, agate, carnelian, chalcedony

Recent excavations at Harappa and Mehrgarh, along with other sites in Pakistan and India, have provided new opportunities to study the ornaments of the Indus Civilization. A brief discussion of the methodologies required for studying Indus ornaments is presented, along with examples of how Indus artisans combined precious metals, stone beads, shell, and faience to create elaborate ornaments. Many of these styles were also imitated in more readily available materials such as steatite or terra-cotta. The social and ritual implications of specific ornaments are explored through their archaeological contexts and comparisons with the roles of such ornaments as recorded in ancient texts and folk traditions of South Asia.