kilns and stupas

[Yaroslav V. Vassilkov]

Dear colleagues,

on Nov. 6th Peter J.Claus (or Palaniappan?) wrote:
<Is it possible that kilns could have been precursors of stupas? Does
<anyone on the List know anything about the origin of stupas from the
<archaeological record? Any references?

        I am afraid, potters' kilns have nothing to do with the origin
of stupas, which seems to be more or less clear. The precursors of stupas
were different kinds of the tumulus with a tomb inside (the practice brought
by Indo-Aryans from their "homeland" in Eurasian Steppes) - in particular,
the Vedic zmazAna. On the origin of stupas see, apart from numerous articles
by John Irwin, rather old article by T.Bloch "Excavations at Lauriya" (ZDMG,
Bd.60,1906, pp.227-232; see also T.Bloch in: Annual Report of the Arch. Survey,
Bengal Circle, for the year ending with April 1905, part II, Calcutta, 1905,
pp. 11ff.), where author describes excavations of mounds which he consideres
to be "an intermediate form between the zmazAna and the Buddhist stUpa".

                                        Yaroslav V. Vassilkov