What did the Indus seals look like?
Archaeologists think that the Indus traders might have used seals like labels, to show who owned a sack of grain, or that the correct city tax had been paid.
Lots of seals have pictures of animals on them, including elephants, rhinoceros, tigers and fish-eating crocodiles.
A square seal with a figure, probably an Indus god. He has three faces, a horned headdress, and lots of arm-bangles.
The rhino pictured on this Indus seal is an Indian rhinoceros, a different species from the rhinos that live in Africa.
This Indus seal shows an animal with three heads: bull, unicorn and antelope.
This seal shows a tiger with many stripes. Tigers were common in the time of the Indus civilisation.
This strange animal with one horn is called a unicorn. Above it is some Indus writing.
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Next
Eating & Drinking
Archaeologists know what Indus Valley people ate by examining the teeth and bones of skeletons. They have found animal bones, seafood shells and seeds from fruit. So we know they liked to eat these. The Indus Valley people ate a healthy diet and from the evidence of teeth in skeletons, it seems men were better-fed than women. Farmers used wooden ploughs pulled by oxen to grow food like wheat, barley and lentils for the city to eat.
Back
Keeping Clean
Most Indus cities had a central well where people could get clean water. In their bathrooms people stood on a brick 'shower tray' and tipped the clean water over themselves from a jar. Dirty water flowed out of the house through pipes into a drain in the street.
Back
Toys & Games
Children in the Indus Valley seem to have loved toys. Archaeologists have found lots of clay toys, such as model carts and animals. They have also found model cows that waggle their heads, and toy monkeys that could slide down ropes. Indus children may have played with pull-along animals on wheels like the one in this photo.
Back
Pets
Some animals' paw prints have been preserved in the ruins of Indus cities. Children may have had pet monkeys, birds in cages, or even lizards and snakes! Hunters might have brought home young deer or wild pigs. Children would also look after farm animals such as lambs or kids (young goats). We know that dogs lived in Indus Valley cities because dog bones have been found. They might have been guard dogs, hunting dogs or family pets.
Back
Back
Next
Craft Worker
People who lived in the city usually made things to earn a living. Some workers made stone querns (for grinding grain to make flour). Others spun and wove cotton into clothes and cotton bags. Others made beads, fishing nets, pots, baskets - everything people needed. Often people did the same job that their parents did and children were taught the skill from a young age.
Back
Traders
Trade (buying and selling things) was very important in Indus Valley cities. Farmers brought food into the cities. City workers made things like pots, beads and cotton cloth. Traders brought the materials workers needed and took away finished goods to trade in other cities. Some traders carried goods on their backs or drove wooden carts pulled by oxen. Others loaded their goods on ships and sailed to trade with other lands.
Back
Builders
Most Indus Valley cities were made from mud bricks. First the brick-makers mixed soil, clay and water to make squishy mud. Next they squashed the mud into a wooden mould which was the shape of a brick. And then they turned out the mud brick, like you would turn out a sandcastle. Mud bricks could dry in the hot sun or inside a kiln (a very hot oven). The fire in the kiln heated the bricks at a high temperature to make them very hard. Bricks were laid in rows and stuck together with wet mud. Indus Valley walls were so strong that many have stood for over 4,000 years!
Back
Farmers
Farmers had to grow lots of food to feed the people in the cities. They prepared big fields using their wooden ploughs pulled by oxen. We know this because model ploughs have been found by archaeologists. Indus farmers understood how to use the rivers. They planted seeds after the rivers had flooded the fields because flood water made the soil rich. They planted different crops for winter (which was mild and wet) and summer (which was hot and dry).
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IndusDailyLife
Allison Haywood
Created on October 30, 2025
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Transcript
What did the Indus seals look like?
Archaeologists think that the Indus traders might have used seals like labels, to show who owned a sack of grain, or that the correct city tax had been paid. Lots of seals have pictures of animals on them, including elephants, rhinoceros, tigers and fish-eating crocodiles.
A square seal with a figure, probably an Indus god. He has three faces, a horned headdress, and lots of arm-bangles.
The rhino pictured on this Indus seal is an Indian rhinoceros, a different species from the rhinos that live in Africa.
This Indus seal shows an animal with three heads: bull, unicorn and antelope.
This seal shows a tiger with many stripes. Tigers were common in the time of the Indus civilisation.
This strange animal with one horn is called a unicorn. Above it is some Indus writing.
Back
Next
Eating & Drinking
Archaeologists know what Indus Valley people ate by examining the teeth and bones of skeletons. They have found animal bones, seafood shells and seeds from fruit. So we know they liked to eat these. The Indus Valley people ate a healthy diet and from the evidence of teeth in skeletons, it seems men were better-fed than women. Farmers used wooden ploughs pulled by oxen to grow food like wheat, barley and lentils for the city to eat.
Back
Keeping Clean
Most Indus cities had a central well where people could get clean water. In their bathrooms people stood on a brick 'shower tray' and tipped the clean water over themselves from a jar. Dirty water flowed out of the house through pipes into a drain in the street.
Back
Toys & Games
Children in the Indus Valley seem to have loved toys. Archaeologists have found lots of clay toys, such as model carts and animals. They have also found model cows that waggle their heads, and toy monkeys that could slide down ropes. Indus children may have played with pull-along animals on wheels like the one in this photo.
Back
Pets
Some animals' paw prints have been preserved in the ruins of Indus cities. Children may have had pet monkeys, birds in cages, or even lizards and snakes! Hunters might have brought home young deer or wild pigs. Children would also look after farm animals such as lambs or kids (young goats). We know that dogs lived in Indus Valley cities because dog bones have been found. They might have been guard dogs, hunting dogs or family pets.
Back
Back
Next
Craft Worker
People who lived in the city usually made things to earn a living. Some workers made stone querns (for grinding grain to make flour). Others spun and wove cotton into clothes and cotton bags. Others made beads, fishing nets, pots, baskets - everything people needed. Often people did the same job that their parents did and children were taught the skill from a young age.
Back
Traders
Trade (buying and selling things) was very important in Indus Valley cities. Farmers brought food into the cities. City workers made things like pots, beads and cotton cloth. Traders brought the materials workers needed and took away finished goods to trade in other cities. Some traders carried goods on their backs or drove wooden carts pulled by oxen. Others loaded their goods on ships and sailed to trade with other lands.
Back
Builders
Most Indus Valley cities were made from mud bricks. First the brick-makers mixed soil, clay and water to make squishy mud. Next they squashed the mud into a wooden mould which was the shape of a brick. And then they turned out the mud brick, like you would turn out a sandcastle. Mud bricks could dry in the hot sun or inside a kiln (a very hot oven). The fire in the kiln heated the bricks at a high temperature to make them very hard. Bricks were laid in rows and stuck together with wet mud. Indus Valley walls were so strong that many have stood for over 4,000 years!
Back
Farmers
Farmers had to grow lots of food to feed the people in the cities. They prepared big fields using their wooden ploughs pulled by oxen. We know this because model ploughs have been found by archaeologists. Indus farmers understood how to use the rivers. They planted seeds after the rivers had flooded the fields because flood water made the soil rich. They planted different crops for winter (which was mild and wet) and summer (which was hot and dry).
Back