An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s18.t1.7

v1.c9.s18.t1.7

According to calibrated ¹⁴C dates the NBPW period may have ended by *c.* 100 B.C., thus including by and large the Śuṅga period. The NBPW deposits may be subdivided into three phases, early, middle and late (Śuṅga), with that ware as a very distinct cultural is determinant in all of them. The totality of this culture is fairly well-documented archaeologically. The middle phase, besides introducing stone masonry and substantial ramparts, also shows sophistication in sculptures, terracottas, jewellery and ceramics. A few broken pieces of polished shafts and animal capitals have been picked up in excavations in the localities of Patna besides the monolithic pillars of KUMRAHAR, fragments of polished stone discs engraved with scenes connected with the mother goddess [12.3.9] worship at Murtaziganj and the famous Didarganj *yakṣī*, not to speak of a number of stone beads. This entire gamut of stone objects of high quality bespeaks the existence of a highly skilled and distinct professional class of lapidary artists. The potter's art reached a new height. The red ware was for common use with the bowl, dish, jar, basin, *hāṇḍī*, frying pan, etc., predominating. In the black-slipped ware the bowl and dish outnumber the *hāṇḍī*. In grey ware too the dish and bowl are predominant. In the NBPW the dish and bowl are the chief types. In the late NBPW phase we have the sprinkler in the Red Polished Ware [11.23]. The find of this type at CAMPĀ in this phase is significant as the sprinkler is generally ascribed to the Kushan period. The character of the NBPW with its thin texture and hardness producing a metallic sound and in various colours (some sherds have two colours, as also paintings) speaks volumes for the quality of the ceramic art. The ware appears to have been rather specially designed for ritualistic purposes or as tableware for the nobility. Its wide distribution might have taken place more in the wake of Magadhan imperialism or the advance of Buddhism in the Mauryan period than to the spread of iron technology.