An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c11.s7.t3.1

v1.c11.s7.t3.1

Flat potsherds with edges ground to a round shape, or similarly shaped discs of stone or bone, found at many sites, were probably the ancient counterpart of hopscotches—a children’s game of hopping on one foot and pushing the flat object over scotches (lines) marked on the ground. Specimens are known from the Harappa sites [4.9] of KALIBANGAN, LOTHAL, ROPAR, SURKOTADA, etc. At ALLAHAPUR, KHALAUA and LAL QILA they come from the early 1st millennium B.C. levels. At CHIRAND such discs are made of ivory and at ERAN and KESARAPALLE of terracotta. At ATRANJIKHERA and NOH they occur in PGW [4.15] levels, whereas at AYODHYĀ, HASTINĀPURA, MASAON, PRAHLADPUR and in other Ganga valley sites they continue in the NBPW [4.16] levels. Many of the terracotta ones bear various decorations. In the early historical levels their occurrence is widespread in regions of c. and w. India (AMRELI, AWRA, NAGAL, NAGDA, NAVDATOLI, PAUNAR, SARADKEL, UJJAIN), the Ganga valley (ATRANJIKHERA, MASAON, etc.) and the Deccan (NEVASA, BRAHMAGIRI KONDAPUR, MASKI). Later specimens datable to c. A.D. 200 to 500 are known from DEVNIMORI, NAGARJUNAKONDA, RANG MAHAL, SALIHUNDAM and TIMBARVA. The shape remains unchanged from the Harappa to the historical times.