Bangles made from sea shell, copper, bronze, gold, agate, chalcedony, etc. have been excavated from multiple archaeological sites throughout India. A figurine of a dancing girl wearing bangles on her left arm has been excavated from Mohenjo-daro (2600 BC).
Other early examples of bangles in India include copper samples from the excavations at Mahurjhari, followed by the decorated bangles belonging to the Mauryan empire (322–185 BC) and the gold bangle samples from the historic site of Taxila (6th century BC). Decorated shell bangles have also been excavated from multiple Mauryan sites. Other features include copper rivets and gold-leaf inlay in some cases.