Fact Check: Pashupati seal from Indus Valley civilisation? Know the truth here

Hyderabad: A photo is going viral on social media claiming to show a ‘rare and original Pashupati seal’ from the Indus Valley civilisation.

According to the posts, the seal dates to around 2500 BCE and represents a three-headed seated figure, often interpreted as the ‘Proto-Shiva’ motif discovered during Mohenjo-Daro excavations in the late 1920s.

A Facebook user shared the image with the caption, “T2500 BC Pashupati Seal.” (Archive)

A similar post can be seen here. (Archive)

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is false. The viral photo does not match the original archaeological artefact and is an AI-generated creation.

What is the original image?

A keyword search led us to the authentic Pashupati or Proto-Shiva seal displayed on the Government of India’s Indian Culture website. The seal, excavated from Mohenjo-Daro and dated to roughly 2500 BCE, is well-documented in archaeological records and academic research.

A comparison of the two shows clear mismatches.

The authentic seal features a specific posture, carving style and iconographic detailing typical of Indus Valley craftsmanship. The viral image, however, shows exaggerated textures, polished surfaces and artistic distortions that do not align with the original artefact.

We also couldn't find any archaeological records showing the viral image as the official Pashupati seal.

Analysis of the image

Suspecting AI involvement, NewsMeter analysed the viral photo using Google’s SynthID and Hive Moderation, both of which flagged it as AI-generated.

The synthetic visual patterns and enhanced details further confirm that the image is not an actual archaeological discovery.

The viral photo claiming to depict a 2500 BCE Pashupati or Proto-Shiva seal from the Indus Valley Civilisation is not real. It is an AI-generated image falsely shared as an ancient artefact.

Hence, the claim is false.