An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c16.s8: 11.8 Prabhas Ware
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c16.s8
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11.8 Prabhas Ware
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The ware has been named after the type site of PRABHAS PATAN or Somnath Patan, Dt Junagadh, situated on the mouth of the river Hiran near the port town of Veraval. Of the fivefold sequence recently identified at the site the Pds II and III represent the Prabhas culture, ¹⁴C-dated to *c.* 1800-1200 B.C. The culture has been divided into Early (*c.* 1800-1500 B.C.) and Late (*c.* 1500-1200 B.C.).
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The vessels of the Prabhas Ware are of an extremely fine fabric and are treated with a pinkish or orange wash which in several cases has turned grey because of conditions in the kiln. Over this are painted patterns in purple or dark brown. The range of the painted motifs is extremely limited, all being geometric such as groups of vertical and oblique strokes, wavy lines, hatched triangles, lozenges, etc. The design is usually set in panels or registers. The most predominant shape of the vessels is subspherical bowl in all sizes. Another important shape is the globular jar with out-turned rim. Of the forms derived from the Harappa [11.3] mention should be made of the stud-handled bowl and the dish-on-stand, the former an invention of the Gujarat Harappa, later copied in the Lustrous Red Ware [11.9], as the evidence from RANGPUR bears out. In the Prabhas Ware both the bowl and the dish-on-stand are adorned with painted designs in panels. The dish part of the dish-on-stand is shallow and does not have any cup-like depression in the centre and the stem is usually solid and is painted with linear patterns.
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The distribution of the Prabhas Ware is as yet imperfectly known. It has been reported from KHAMBHODAR and KINNARKHEDA, Dt Junagadh, and LAKHABAVAL, Dt JAMNAGAR, which are far removed spatially from PRABHAS PATAN. The true focus however may probably be in the Junagadh area.
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Nanavati, J.M. Mehta, R.N., & Chowdhary, S.N., 1956, *Somnath 1956*, Baroda.—M.K. DHAVALIKAR