The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v1.c19.s7.18

v1.c19.s7.18

Among other crafts, pottery appears to have been practised on an extensive scale. A large number of specimens of the pottery used by the monks of Pāhārpur, and dating back probably to the eighth or ninth century A.D., have been recovered in recent years. These include large storage jars, spotted vases or *loṭās*, cooking utensils, dishes, saucers, inkpots and lamps of various designs. The potter's art is also exemplified by the immense variety of terracotta plaques discovered at Mahāsthān (Bogra), Sābhār (Dacca), Pāhārpur and other places. Some contemporary inscriptions refer to potters (*kumbhakāra*)¹ and potter's ditch (*kumbhakāra-garta*)²; and the context in which these are mentioned seems to show that pottery as an industry was conducted from rural settlements for the most part.