Indus Valley Painted Pottery - A Comparative Study of the Designs on the Painted Wares of the Harappa Culture

INDUS VALLEY PAINTED POTTERY- A Comparative Study of the Designs on the Painted Wares of the Harappa Culture BY RICHARD F. S. STARR. FOREWORD: THIS volume is not, nor could it be, so complete and conclusive a discussion of the subject as to pretend solution to all its riddles and answers to all its questions. The mysteries of prehistoric in terrelationships could not be so eaSfly or fully penetrated. It is, rather, the hope of the author that this work will help to clarify and stimulate future and further discussions in this field and if the data and suggestions in the following pages help to an ap preciable degree in clearing away the haze that has surrounded the Indus Valley in its relationship to other portions of the ancient world, the real purpose of this work will have been accomplished. This study originated in 1938 as a dissertation presented to Princeton University in candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Since then, it has been entirely revised and rewritten the less important material has been eliminated and much has been added that was originally overlooked or has been newly dis covered. So many people have given their assistance in this work that it is difficult to acknowledge my gratitude to each individually. How ever, I wish first of all to mention the assistance given by my wife. Not only her uncomplaining and interminable labor at typing, re typing and proofreading, but her clear-sighted criticism has been pf enormous help. Among those in the academic world I am espe cially indebted to Professor Harold H. Bender and Professor Philip K. Hitti for their continual and willing assistance, both of a schol arly and material nature, and I wish here to emphasize my obliga tion to them. Professor Ernst Herzfeld, with his usual generosity, jj s given me much of his time and, as always, his comments have been stimulating, penetrating and wise. I wish also to thank Pro fessor W. Norman Brown and Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy for reading my manuscript and for offering many helpful suggestions. Nor should I neglect to record my indebtedness to the Institute for Advanced Study which made it possible for me to carry on the revision of my original manuscript. Finally, it is a distinct pleasure to express my gratitude to the American Council of Learned So cieties and to the Institute for Advanced Study for making possible the publication of this volume. R. F. S. STARR. Contents include: FOREWORD V ABBREVIATIONS 2 PART I. INTRODUCTION I-5 II. 6 in. 9 IV. II v. 13 vi. 16 VII. 20 PART II. HARAPPAN RELATIONSHIPS WITH IRAN AND MESOPOTAMIA I. STRAIGHT-LINE BORDERS 25 II. LOOP PATTERNS 7.6 in. WAVY LINE RIVER PATTERN 34 IV. LOZENGE PATTERN 42 V. TRIANGLE PATTERNS 43 VI. SIGMA AND CHEVRON DESIGNS 46 VII. COMB MOTIF 52 VIII. CROSS MOTIF 56 Evil IX. GRID PATTERNS 57 CHECKER PATTERN 57 TRIANGLE PATTERNS 58 INTERSECTING-CIRCLE PATTERNS 6l CONTIGUOUS-CIRCLE PATTERN 63 X. PLANT DESIGNS 64 XI. ANIMAL DESIGNS 69 XII. MISCELLANEOUS 82 PART III. CONCLUSIONS 85 II. 90 III. 91 iv. 95 v. 99 INDEX 103 MAP 106 C