Indus Valley: The Graffiti on ceramics

222 of the excavated potsherds have graffito-marks from simple strokes to intricate geometric and naturalistic designs, Seven signs on a lid from Period Iia (Rangpur) vaguely resemble Indus ones, Most remarkable evidence from Lothal where a potsherd inscribed with signs vaguely resembling the Brahmi characters on the one hand and the Indus signs on the other occurs, Largest number of inscribed potsherds at Rangpur from Period III, and a fairly large number from Period IIC, Three main groups: 1) motifs of human forms, animals and birds, 2) linear symbols evolved from the Indus signs, and 3) a combination of several linear signs, Sometimes strokes are added to a simple sign, Some are enclosed in rectangles while others are divided into compartments, Trident with additions occurs frequently, "U" or "V"-shaped signs, the trident and vertical lines with or without oblique strokes occur on potsherds from other chalcolithic sites such as Prabhas, Bahal, Prakash, Piklihal and Navdatoli, Also noticed in neolithic and megalithic pottery from Paklihal, Maski, Brahmagiri, Sanur, etc