Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c11.162

c11.162

(3) In form and appearance the so-called Mauryan bell is long way off from the Iranian bell. The latter consists of a ring of petals or reels on the upper end, but has no bulge in the middle portion from which the so-called Mauryan bell derives so much beauty. Moreover the so-called Mauryan bell is made to approximate as nearly as possible the Indian traditional designs of pot and foliage (*Pūrṇa Ghaṭa*) rendered in a stylised manner. The *Pūrṇa Ghaṭa* motif was known from the time of Ṛigveda. Moreover it was associated with Indian pillars made of wood both to make it look more beautiful as well as to preserve it from decay. A plain circular pillar fragment made of wood resembling the plain shaft of the Aśokan pillar has been actually found in the mound at Lauriā Nandagarh.