An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c21.s18: 16.18 Whetstones
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c21.s18
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16.18 Whetstones
v1.c21.s18.1
Although whetstones and hones have the same function, both being sharpeners, there is a difference between them depending on the different types of objects that were sharpened on them. Whetstones were used to sharpen heavy tools such as axes, whereas hones were used to sharpen tools such as razors, engravers and points. Sometimes both the tools might have been used in sharpening the same object. In such cases the whetstone was first used to remove rust from the object, after which it was honed to get sharp edges.
v1.c21.s18.2
Whetstones and hones appear simultaneously in the Harappa culture [4.9]. There is evidence that apart from these stones potsherds were used as sharpeners in the Harappa culture, Chalcolithic cultures of c. and w. India [4.14.5, 6] and the Neolithic-Chalcolithic cultures further s. [4.6.9, 4.14.8]. These have been described as edge-ground potsherds of indeterminate use and have been reported from KALIBANGAN, PRAKASH and HALLUR.
v1.c21.s18.3
For sites see respective entries in vol. II.—S. BANERJEE