Unicorn complex of the Indus culture

With an appendix on the origin of the occidental unicorn

Scientific Study , 2024 , 110 Pages

Cultural Studies - Middle Eastern Studies

The seals of the Indus culture also include depictions of the animal with a horn and an object under its head. Researchers refer to the animal as a unicorn and the object as a cult object. They assume that it is either a mythical creature or an animal shown from the side, whose second horn is covered by the first. The author is of the opinion that the animal was still alive at the time of the Indus culture and descended from an extinct cattle species Bos namadicus. The cult object is a symbol consisting of a combination of a basket made of plant fibres and the fruit of a fig tree. The unicorn of the Indus culture has nothing to do with the unicorn we are familiar with today. In the appendix, the author deals with the origin of the occidental unicorn. The idea of the western unicorn is based on three sources: Greek traditions, the Buddhist unicorn legend and allegorical in-terpretations of biblical passages.

Table of Contents

• Preface
• List of illustrations
• Chapter 1
  • Review
  • First phase of the research process
  • Second phase of the research process
• Chapter 2
  • Unicorn complex
  • Fig tree
  • Unicorn
  • Cult object
  • Origin of the cult object
  • Special features of the cult object
• Chapter 3
  • Origin of the Unicorn
• Appendix
  • Origin of the occidental unicorn
  • Constellation of the unicorn

Objectives and Key Themes

This work aims to clarify the questions surrounding the depiction of a one-horned animal on Indus seals, commonly referred to as a "unicorn," and the associated object found beneath its head, often termed the "cult object." It explores the nature of the animal, the purpose of the object, and their significance in the context of Indus culture.

• Nature and origin of the "unicorn" animal
• Significance and interpretation of the "cult object"
• Relationship between the "unicorn" and the fig tree
• Evolution of the "unicorn" concept from Indus culture to the Western tradition
• Symbolic meaning of the unicorn in the West

Chapter Summaries

• Chapter 1: Review: This chapter examines previous research on the "unicorn complex," outlining different interpretations of the animal and the object. It explores the arguments for a mythical creature versus a real animal, and considers various species proposed as the model for the "unicorn."
• Chapter 2: Unicorn complex: This chapter analyzes the depiction of the "unicorn" and the "cult object" in detail, examining their individual features and their relationship to each other. The author argues that the "unicorn" was not a mythical creature, but a real animal related to cattle, and that the "cult object" symbolized a fig fruit held in a basket made of organic material.
• Chapter 3: Origin of the Unicorn: This chapter investigates the origin of the "unicorn" animal, analyzing paleontological and genetic evidence. The author proposes that the "unicorn" was a species of Bovidae, descended from Bos primigenius namadicus, similar to Bos indicus (zebu), and that its rarity, unique appearance, and connection to the fig tree contributed to its religious significance.

Keywords

The primary keywords and focus topics of this work include the Indus culture, unicorn, cult object, fig tree, Bos primigenius namadicus, Bos indicus, symbolism, religious significance, ancient India, Ctesias, Physiologus, unicorn constellation, Petrus Plancius.

• Author: Tapan Kumar Das Gupta (Author)
• Publication Year: 2024
• Pages: 110
• Catalog Number: V1463861
• ISBN (PDF): 9783389007945
• ISBN (Book): 9783389007952
• Language: English
• Tags: Unicorn, Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Ctesias, Plancius