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336
Lord Mahūtira and His Times
The terra-cotta sigurines belonging to this period like those of the preceding cultures are hand-inade, but they are important for their modelling, surface treatment, details and continuity of the tradition in a developed form. The figurines are better modelled than the specimens of the prcceding cultures. Production of human and animal models in grey, N.B.P. and red ware is evident in the period. The occurrence of human models is comparatively more than the preceding postHarappan chalcolithic cultures. The use of a pedestal for the figurine disappears.
The terra-cotta figurines of this age are obtained from such sites as Hastinapura, Mathurā, Ahichchhatra, Rajghat, Prahladpur, Sarai Mohana, Alasaon, Śrāvasti, Sonepur, Pätaliputra, Chiranda, Kayatha, Burar, Sugh, and Noh.: Thcy are. decorated by incision, circles, and stamping. The circlets bccame common in this period for expressing, along with the old technique, anatomical details and decoration on the body. It was probably a development over'applique' and pinch' techni. gue. It introduced a new trend in the tradition which involv.. cd less time, lively execution, and, lastly quick production of the figurines. This idca of punching the circlcts on the figurines was probably borrowed from punch-marked coins. The stamping of thic figurines with Chakra and leaf symbol seems to have been a later development in the period.
From the specimens discovered at Rājghāt, it is clear that there is closer similarity in the slip, polislı, and painting with the black slipped and N.B.P. warc pottery. This clcarly indicates that the artist modeller was inspired by the porter's techniquc. The figurines discovered from Pājaliputra arc important in cxhibiting the composite technique. In the figu. rines, the eyes, breasts, and genitals are clearly shown by punciicd circlers, while hair and singers are inrlicated by incision. Th: use of the coinpojite icchniqu: for modelling can be further aries::. by the Visa urine; discovered at Sonepur; the breasts and eyes of the speciinoniare un bon ih: appliqa: markol while other details are depicted loy pilna ciel circles and incision. The animai fizurines discourtil at
1. 10:10:02a! 11, 1:1, 1971, p. 7).
