An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c39.169

v2.c39.169

*Pd III*, Chalcolithic. This Pd [4.14.5] is well documented at both Maheshwar (Mound V) and Navdatoli, though a greater part of the evidence is based on the horizontal excavation at the latter site. This shows that the Chalcolithic settlement took place on the virgin Black Soil [9.1]. On the basis of pottery types and fabrics it is divisible into four phases. Thus, Phase I is marked by the occurrence of a painted black-and-red ware [11.6.2], the cream-slipped ware and its variants along with the predominant Malwa Ware [11.10]. Of these the black-and-red ware disappears in Phase II. The end of this phase is marked by widespread destruction by fire and the subsequent Phase III shows a cessation of the cream-slipped ware and the introduction of the Jorwe Ware [11.11] together with a few sherds of the Lustrous Red Ware [11.9]. These continue into Phase IV, in the upper levels of which storage jars are found with applied decoration. At Maheshwar, the top layers of the Chalcolithic have yielded the black-and-red ware which continues into the early historical period [4.18.7]. The predominant ware throughout the occupation of the sites however is the Malwa Ware. It is a buff or orange-slipped ware decorated with designs in black or dark-brown. The designs are either geometric or naturalistic, among the latter animals and birds being prominent. The typical shapes are the *loṭā*, bowl with concave sides, channel-spouted cups and pedestalled goblets. Of these, goblets have been found only at Navdatoli and not at the other Malwa culture sites. (According to Wakankar, 1976, the Kayatha Ware [11.7] occurs at Maheshwar.)