The Priest-King of Mohenjo-daro: The Famous Bust

The Priest-King is a small bearded bust carved in steatite (soapstone), 17.5 centimetres tall, found at Mohenjo-daro in the 1920s. It is the most famous stone sculpture of the Indus Valley Civilisation and belongs to Pakistan: the original is held by the National Museum of Pakistan in Karachi. The name is a modern label, and scholars have doubted for a long time whether the man was either a priest or a king.

What does the Priest-King look like?

The figure is a man with a neatly trimmed beard, his hair combed back and held by a fillet, a narrow band around the head. He also wears an armband. Over his left shoulder and under the right arm he wears a cloak or shawl patterned with trefoils, single circles and double circles. Traces of red pigment survive in these patterns, so the cloak was originally coloured.

The sculpture is a bust, broken off at the bottom, and it may never have been finished. Small as it is, the carving makes it look larger than it is, which is why it works so well in photographs.

Why is he called the Priest-King?

The label is speculative. Ernest Mackay, who worked at Mohenjo-daro, thought the figure represented a priest. John Marshall, the director of the excavations, preferred "king-priest". The archaeologist Mortimer Wheeler seems to have popularised "Priest-King", and the name stuck.

There is no inscription and no royal tomb that would support the idea of a ruler, and no palace has been identified at Mohenjo-daro. Some scholars therefore see the figure as a commemorative portrait of a clan leader or ancestor, or simply of an important man. All of these are guesses, and the Indus script cannot yet help.

Treat any confident reading of the figure with caution.

Where is the original?

The original belongs to the National Museum of Pakistan in Karachi. At the Partition in 1947 the finds were divided, and Pakistan received the Priest-King while India kept the bronze Dancing Girl.

Do not expect to see the original on an ordinary visit. Dawn reported that the figure shown in the Moenjodaro Gallery is a replica, and that the museum's superintendent explained the original was too valuable to display in a simple glass case. Because the display copy is well made, most visitors do not notice. If seeing the genuine object matters to you, ask the museum whether it is available for viewing, and do not assume it will be.

The Moenjodaro Gallery also shows toy bullock carts, mother-goddess figurines, animal models, dice and stamp seals with undeciphered writing, so allow time for the whole gallery.

How does he compare with the Dancing Girl?

The two are often mentioned together because they are the best-known sculptures from Mohenjo-daro, and because Partition split them between the two countries.

One is carved and the other cast, so between them they show two separate crafts. Both are small, and both are known through photographs far more than through the objects themselves.

Can you see him at Mohenjo-daro?

The Priest-King is not kept at Mohenjo-daro, since the finds went to Karachi in the twentieth century. The site museum near Larkana shows other objects and copies, and our Mohenjo-daro museum guide lists what to expect. If you want the wider story of the city, read Mohenjo-daro history first.

Is it worth seeking out?

For anyone interested in the Indus civilisation, yes. It is the human face that most people picture when they think of the culture. But it is a small object in a glass case, so keep expectations modest, and pair the sight of it with a visit to the site itself if you can.

Check the security advice first

Larkana lies in Sindh north of Nawabshah, and the UK government advises against all but essential travel to that part of the province. Pakistani visitors still go to Mohenjo-daro, but check local news and current police advice before you set out. Overseas visitors should read the UK travel advice for Pakistan, because travelling against it can void insurance.

Frequently asked questions