An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c46.169

v2.c46.169

**Tekkalakotta** (15°32'; 76°53'), Dt Bellary, a predominantly Neolithic [4.6.9] site with some straggling remains of the later Megalithic [4.17.8] or early historical period in the upper levels, excavated in 1963-4 by H.D. Sankalia and M.S. Nagaraja Rao (*IAR 1963-4*, p. 24). The Neolithic culture was of two phases, early and late, the later one being Chalcolithic [4.17.8] in character. The early phase had microliths of chert and other siliceous stones, pecked and ground tools, bone artefacts, beads of steatite and semiprecious stones and gold and copper objects. Fractional burial without grave furnishing was the norm, the burial marked by a granite boulder over the pit. The paintings on pottery were post-firing. The ceramics was handmade employing the beater-and-anvil method. Uniformity of the surface was achieved by scraping off unwanted clay. Quartz powder and in some instance mica dust seem to have been used as *dégraissant*. The clay was finer than in the succeeding phase. The surface treatment comprised burnishing of the exterior and as far as hand could reach on the inside as well, besides the application of slip and roughening. Applied decoration, rarely resorted to, consisted of finger-tips. A few grey-ware pots, painted or unpainted, has perforated bottoms. Painting on the rims of the bowl and spout and external sides of the carinated vessel was confined to burnished grey ware, the designs being bands, curvilinear strokes, etc. The pigments were black, purple or violet and the paintings were executed after firing. The forms included the globular jar with flaring rim, bowl, cup, lid and goblet in the pale-grey ware and spouted vessel, kettle, storage jar, bowl with or without spout , shallow dish, urn with flaring rim in brown and storage jar in buff ware.