Page 143 - Index Pottery of Dvaravati Period - Professor Emerita Dr.Phasook Indrawooth

Summary | 128

Regarding surface decoration, the most common find of surface decoration of

Dvaravati pottery is the overall relief decoration produced by impressing a wrapped
paddle on a moist vessel body. The paddle can be wrapped either with cord or mat

or other substances such as straw, thin vines, or basketry withes (figs.ลายเส้นที่ 8, ลายเส้น

ที่ 10). This pattern of decoration was widely distributed in Southeast, East and North
Asia in early period. In Thailand this pattern appeared on the lower parts of pots since

prehistoric period. As for Dvaravati pottery, besides cord or mat marking designs, criss-
cross design made by incising a vessel’s surface with repeated strokes of a pointed

tool are also quite common.

The shoulder parts of Dvaravati pottery were usually decorated with various
designs and techniques :- e.g. finger impressions (including snail and shell) (pls.รูปที่ 6,

รูปที่ 7รูปที่ 31, fig.ลายเส้นที่ 2 no.3 and figs.ลายเส้นที่ 3 and ลายเส้นที่ 4 no.1), line and
wave design (pls.รูปที่ 16 รูปที่ 24 รูปที่ 27 fig.ลายเส้นที่ 4 no.2) Surface decoration with

painting, both true painting (decoration with a pigment) and slip painting (decoration

of parts of the vessel surface with a different colored clay) also occurred, the common
designs for true painting are thin horizontal red or white stripes alternating (pls.รูปที่ 8,

รูปที่ 12, รูปที่ 22, fig.ลายเส้นที่ 5).

It is noticed that stamped decoration has been practiced by Dvaravati potters.
It was produced out of a mould in which the pot was pressed while it was still wet.

The decoration usually consists of figures of animals or human beings and floral motifs
appearing just below or on the shoulder portion of the pot or jar (pls.รูปที่ 16 - รูปที่ 21,

51, figs.ลายเส้นที่ 27, ลายเส้นที่ 30) this technique might have been introduced to

Dvaravati potters by the Indian people during the Gupta and post-Gupta period.
However, it should be pointed out that the predilection for stamped decorated pottery

seen during the Gupta period was the indirect result of the local imitation of the Roman
stamped pottery during the period of Roman contact in western India. The mould

made pottery of Gupta and of subsequent periods had decorative devices derived

from Roman devices i.e. dancers, warriors and hunting scenes. However, some devices
were derived from some auspicious symbols found on Indian coins and early

sculptures from the first century B.C. to the third century A.D. i.e. srivatsa, swastika,

vajra, purnaghata, animal figures (lion, elephant and swan). Besides Dvaravati pottery,
the stamped decoration was also practiced among the potters at Beikthano (Burma)

too.

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