An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c16.s12.1

v1.c16.s12.1

Named after the type-site SAVALDA where it was first identified in 1958 as a distinct class of Chalcolithic [4.14.6] ceramics (Sali, 1964, pp. 207-10), the ware is now known to occur in the Godavari and the upper Krishna valleys (Sundara, 1971, pp. 13-30) in addition to the Tapti valley where SAVALDA is situated. Made on slow wheel, the ware is on the whole of medium to coarse fabric and is treated on the outside with a thick slip which has developed crackles and turned red, pink, orange, buff, brown and chocolate in colour and shade. In the Tapti and the upper Krishna valleys the painted designs are executed mainly in black and occasionally in red and purple and sometimes both in black and red, whereas in the Godavari valley, at DAIMABAD, they are chiefly in red and occasionally in black and white. Apart from the geometric designs such as criss-cross, horizontal bands, loops, spirals, wavy lines and comb-like designs, the most distinctive painted designs are antenna-ended arrows, notched arrowheads and double-barbed tools resembling saws, besides peacock, fish, bird, deer and stylized plant-like representations. In the Tapti valley there are a few examples with graffiti [20.1] consisting of vertical lines on the inside of the rim. The types in this ware are: the high-necked jar with squat body and blunt carination; dish; platter; dish-on-stand; trough or basin; bowl; ring-stand; beaker; vase with splayed-out rim; *hāṇḍī*-type vase; and lid with knob.