Lord Mahavira and His Times

Author(s): Kailashchandra Jain
Publisher: Motilal Banarasidas

Page 49

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along with some other antiquities are known from their archaeological remains discovered at a village, Lauria Nandangarh, in Champaran District of Bihar and Piprahwa (District Basti) of the Nepal border. Wood, mud and mudbricks were widely used during this period. Small hearths of bamboo and reed have been discovered at Chandraketugarh and Mathura. Structures made of mud and mud-bricks are found at Nagda, Atranjikhara, Hastināpura, Mathura, and Rajaghat. Burnt bricks were used probably for building places of public utility, and their remains have been discovered at Rupar, Hastināpura, and Ujjain. The historic Jarasandhakī Baithaka built during this period at Rājagriha is of stones. Some of the paintings preserved in the rockshelters discovered near Pachmarhi, Mirzapur, and Manikpur may also belong to this period.
No sculptures but the terracottas of this period have been discovered at certain places, such as Hastināpura, Mathurā, Ahichchhatrā, Rajaghat near Vārāṇasi, Srāvasti and Sonerpur. These are made of grey, black, polished, and red ware. Both human and animal figurines are found, but the number of human figurines is larger at this date than that found in the preceding culture. These are better modelled than the specimens of the earlier period, and they are decorated by incision, circles and stamps.
The archacological excavations carried out at different sites give us an idea of the ceramics used by the people. This period was noteworthy for the introduction of some new fabrics, the most important of them being the North Black Polislied Ware, known as a prince among the potterics in India. Black slipped Warc, Red and Black Ware, Grey Ilare, and Red Ware were the associate poticrics of this age which met the increasing demand of the people, Pottery vessels of different shapes, shades, and colour give an idea of the artistic taste of the people.
Metal objects, such as ornaments, bcads, and toilets rccovered from the early historical sites in excavations, throw an important light on the material lifc of thc people. The discovery of a large number of iron objects at Ujjain, Nagda, Eran, etc. proves the popularity of iron, lis wide use for dific