thumb|right|220px|Black and white illustration of the state seal.
The seal of Indiana is used by the governor of Indiana to certify official documents of the U.S. state of Indiana. The seal has gone through several revisions since the region was a part of the Northwest Territory. It is likely that the original seal, which is similar to the current one, was created by William Henry Harrison during his administration of the Indiana Territory. The current design of the seal was standardized by the Indiana General Assembly in 1963.
Usage
The state seal is maintained by the Governor of Indiana. It is used to certify the authenticity of official state documents. The seal is placed on departmental reports, bills the Governor signs into law, and official communications from the Governor to other high-ranking office holders. The seal is also used on all commissions granted by the state as proof of the commission's authority.
The first Indiana state flag utilizes the state seal in its design. An American Civil War era 13th Indiana Infantry Regiment battle flag also utilizes the state seal in its design.
<gallery class="left" widths="180px">
File:Flag of Indiana (1899–1917).png|First flag of Indiana (1885–1917)
File:13th Infantry Regiment Battle Flag.jpg|13th Indiana Infantry Regiment battle flag
</gallery>
History
thumb|260px|Indiana state [[Historical coats of arms of the U.S. states|historical coat of arms (illustrated, 1876)]]
thumb|200px|Indiana state seal depicted on the reverse of Series 1882BB National Bank Notes.
The United States Congress passed legislation on May 8, 1792, that directed the U.S. Secretary of State to "provide proper seals for the several and respective public offices in the said Territories". Indiana was part of the Northwest Territory at that time and a seal was created by the United States Department of State to be used on official papers of the territory. The original seal was maintained by Governor Arthur St. Clair and the first recorded use was in a proclamation made on July 26, 1788.
The constitution of 1816 contained a clause that stated the governor should maintain a state seal and use it in official communication. The design of the seal was first proposed during the first session of the Indiana General Assembly in 1816.
During 1895, Robert S. Hatcher, the reading clerk of the Indiana Senate, was directed to ascertain the legal status of the design of the state seal. After a thorough review, Hatcher found that the laws that authorized the seal did not explicitly state what its design should be. He recommended that a bill be passed to standardize the seal. Senator McCord submitted legislation for that purpose, but no action was taken on it.
On January 28, 1905, an article ran in the Indianapolis News containing information on the origin of the seal, some of it dubious. The article received much attention and started an informal inquiry into the history of the seal, and namely to discover if the sun in the seal was rising or setting. Jacob Piatt Dunn, the preeminent Indiana historian of the time, consulted several history and arrived at the conclusion that the sun was rising. Dunn cited the fact the state was young, and the mountains were to the east of the state, not the west—clearly indicating the sun was rising.</blockquote>
Iconography
thumb|right|200px|The state seal engraved on the [[Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral (Indianapolis)|Saints Peter & Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.]]
The sun rising in the picture represents that Indiana has a bright future ahead and is just beginning. The mountains it rises over are a representation of the Allegheny Mountains showing that Indiana is in the west. The woodman represents civilization subduing the wilderness that was Indiana. The buffalo represents the wilderness fleeing westward away from the advancing civilization.