An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c28.233

v2.c28.233

In Sub-pd I B all the wares with associated miscellany of the previous Sub-pd continue excepting the black-and-red ware. The associated red ware types of the NBPW [11.16] such as the bowl-*cum*-lid, basin, deep bowl and jar of HASTINĀPURA Pd III affinity are noticed. The PGW fabric which is ashy to dark-grey in colour continues to remain fine in the technique of manufacture and painted designs. Among the new types mention be made of a ring-pedestalled bowl. Finger-marked-burnt bricks of varying sizes (33 × 16 × 5·5 or 39 × 19·5 × 5 cm) with rice husks as a *dégraissant* were also encountered. Amongst the very few remains of indeterminate structures was a circular mud wall containing some well-preserved hearths, burnt floors, post-holes and burnt bricks. Straight mud walls with a width of about 60 cm were also noticed. Other antiquities include: terracotta objects; beads, ornamented discs; iron objects such as spearhead, arrowheads, blades, etc.; copper nail-parers; stone querns and pestles; bone objects; double-ended and tanged bone point; awls, antimony rods [18.1], etc. A bone point with an iron rod is of particular interest. A terracotta sealing with Brāhmī inscription in late Mauryan characters reads *Bhadrapālasa*. More than 90 per cent bone objects are manufactured out of antlers. The presence of a number of unfinished objects indicates that the tools were locally made, a fact which may also show that it was a village of makers of bone tools. ¹⁴C dates and the association of iron do not push the antiquity of PGW at this site beyond c. 800 B.C. However, the earliest layers provide an important link with the separate phase of the black-and-red ware noticed at ATRANJIKHERA between the OCW [11.5] on the one hand and the PGW on the other hand. The NBPW at HASTINĀPURA is much later in date than its occurrence in the e. region and as such a time-bracket including phases I A and I B from *c.* 800 to 300 B.C. of this site is quite reasonable.