Black and Red Ware
Explanation
The Megalithic culture in India, particularly in Peninsular India, corresponds to the Iron Age. It is primarily defined by its burial practices, which involved the use of large stone boulders to construct graves. Alongside specific architectural features, these burials contain distinct material remains, including iron implements and specific types of pottery.
Detailed Analysis:
- Black and Red Ware (BRW): This is the most distinctive and characteristic pottery type found in Megalithic burials. It is wheel-turned and gets its name from the specific firing technique (inverted firing) where the interior and the rim become black while the exterior remains red. It is almost universally present in Megalithic graves across South India.
- Painted Grey Ware (PGW): This pottery tradition is associated with the Iron Age in North India, specifically linked to the Later Vedic period and the settlements in the Upper Gangetic plain. It is not a feature of the southern Megalithic culture.
- Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW): This is a deluxe pottery style associated with the Second Urbanization in North India (c. 6th century BCE onwards) and the Mauryan period. It represents a later timeline and a different geographical focus compared to the early phases of Megalithic culture.
- Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP): This pottery is associated with the Copper Hoard culture and the late Harappan phase in the Gangetic doab, predating the Iron Age Megalithic culture.
Key Takeaway:
The material culture of the Megalithic period in South India is defined by the simultaneous use of Iron tools and Black and Red Ware (BRW) pottery.