Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c7.s5.12

c7.s5.12

Burial pottery forms a class by itself. At Harappa in cemetry H, two distinct strata were exposed with a rich collection of grave pottery, the upper one of one hundred and twenty pot-burials and the lower one of earth-burials accompained by funeral pottery consisting of water-pots, bowls, offering dishes, saucers, flat covers, flasks, round vases etc. The shapes of the burial pots (ranging in hieght from 9¾" to 23¾") are round, ellipsoid marked by parallel finger grooves on the lower portion. The smaller jars were at once finished on the wheel, but the larger ones were made in two parts, the upper and the lower being joined afterwards. Pots of carinated type are all painted at the neck and are of smaller size. The burial pots from cemetery H. are different in shape and in their realistic painted motifs from the jars coming from the mounds with geometric and other patterns. Peacock is common on the burial jars. On one example is a goat of large size with enormous horns that are ornamented with eight trident-like devices, both being associated with Śiva. Other designs on the burial pots include stars, rayed orbs, wavy lines, continuous triangles, fish, leaves, plants, flying birds. The flat covers from the earth burials show very effective and regular designs. They in all cases were painted on the under side with ornaments of deer, peacocks, trees, leaves, stars, birds, fish, hands, tassels, etc., enclosed in concentric circles and having the same scenic effect as the assemblage of motifs on cross-bar medallions of later times (Vats, Harappa pl. LXIV; Smith, Jaina Stūpa at Mathūra, Plates 71-73).