An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c45.793

v2.c45.793

The Siswal A pottery is invariably decorated with painted designs except in the case of Fabric F, black and red and handmade red wares. Fabric A is most profusely painted of all the fabrics generally at the rim, neck and shoulder of the vase, jar, cup, bowl, etc. The bowl is also painted on the interior. The painting is done in black or chocolate pigment over a dull-red or pinkish matt surface. The use of white pigment in addition to black produces a bichrome effect. Although the overall pattern of painted designs reveals naturalistic features, the design elements are common in KALIBANGAN I but at Siswal the variety of designs is less. The main designs include black bands, horizontal lines, zigzag horizontal lines, oblique strokes, suspended loops, fish scales, cross-hatched diamonds, opposed triangles, ovals, arcading designs, sigmas, fish, arrows, etc. Naturalistic designs and *triśūla*-like motif are absent. The decorated designs commonly occur on the interior of troughs in Fabric D. These are executed with a sharp-edged tool, possibly of metal. A few Fabric A vases are decorated above the shoulder on the exterior with thin sharply cut lines. The main designs thus executed include linear and geometric patterns comprising horizontal, flowing and oblique grooves and latticed, chevron and cord designs. It seems that the incised designs on the BARA ware are related to this tradition.