An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c16.s4.9

v1.c16.s4.9

The main designs comprise linear, geometric and naturalistic motifs. The designs are repetitive and less carefully executed. The naturalistic designs are generally stylized. The painting is done in horizontal registers, sometimes subdivided into panels on the upper portions of the vessels. The common linear designs include black bands, horizontal, vertical, obliquely flowing and zigzag lines and loops. The geometric designs comprise hatched triangles, diamonds and rectangles, semicircles, criss-crosses, chevrons, opposed triangles, ladders and Maltese cross. Among the naturalistic motifs may be mentioned branches, hatched leaves, flowers, lotuses with stalk, honeycombs, eye-lid designs, horns, fish, peacocks, cranes, etc. The reserved slip technique is crudely imitated by the scratching of the thick black band on a few sherds from MITATHAL II B. A good number of design elements can be traced to the pre-Harappa tradition.