An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c15.s3.t3.2

v1.c15.s3.t3.2

An interesting specimen of ear ornaments of bone in the shape of an arrowhead has been recovered from the Neolithic levels of CHIRAND. The Chalcolithic sites of AHAR² and NAVDATOLI have yielded ear studs and cylindrical ornaments made of terracotta, bone, shell and ivory. Megalithic MAHURJHARI has yielded gold spirals used as ear-rings, circular ear ornaments of gold and a complete ear ornament of gold wire with three coils inserted into it. Pulley-shaped ear ornaments of crystal, agate, jasper and chert have been reported from a large number of early historical sites throughout the country. Their earliest occurrence is at HASTINĀPURA in the PGW [4.15] levels and they are quite popular during Mauryan and Sātavāhana times. SISUPALGARH has yielded a few specimens from its mid-levels. At SALIHUNDAM terracotta spools have been reported as late as 5th-8th centuries. Another type of wide prevalence during the early centuries of the Christian era was disc-shaped with a cylindrical stem. VAIŚĀLĪ has produced three different types of gold ear ornaments dating to the 4th-5th centuries. One is an S-shaped ornament decorated with a rosette, commas, cones and acanthus, another is a pair of ear-rings with clamps and the third is a pair of rings fitted with cylindrical tubes and top bosses.