Prehistoric India to 1000 B.C. c13.50

c13.50

It is very difficult to suggest even partial analogues to this remarkable series of pottery. As a whole, it is quite without parallel in any of the known cultures of the Ancient Orient, and one can only say that the groupings of animals and trees does recall the ‘animals and landscape’ designs of Kulli ware in rather more than general terms and the star and bird motifs in association recall similar patterns on pots from the Giyan II cemetery of c. 1550–1200 B.C. The treatment of the animals and men is quite different from that known in any of the prehistoric wares of Baluchistan or India, but although remote in time and space, it is worth mentioning that the treatment of the human figures, and to some extent that of some of the animals is not altogether dissimilar to that on Samarra ware and its analogues in Persia. It is just possible that these similarities may represent at least an ancient Iranian or North Mesopotamian strain in the culture responsible for the burials in cemetery H. Beyond this, we can say nothing, though again the possible relationships with the Kulli style may point to Baluchistan elements as well. The cemetery H people are certainly newcomers to the Harappā world, but where they came from or what was their later history only further excavation can tell us.