An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c21.s2: 16.2 Burnishers
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c21.s2
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16.2 Burnishers
v1.c21.s2.1
Burnishers are smooth-surfaced instruments of pebble. bone, wood or terracotta used for polishing the surface of objects like those of metal, clay vessels, stone artefacts, house floors and walls. Burnishing make clay objects less porous, besides giving them a smooth surface; this is done while the clay is leather-hard.
v1.c21.s2.2
Two types of burnishing patterns have been noticed—plain burnish and stroke burnish. In the former the surface is left matt as a background to the design of polished lines. In stroke burnish the surface is completely burnished but the marks of the burnishers remains distinct. The technique is found also employed on gold objects in Harappa times.
v1.c21.s2.3
On the Indian side the technique is found employed on the Harappa [11.3] pottery of LOTHAL and KALIBANGAN and the Neolithic [11.1] pottery of BURZAHOM, CHIRAND and PIKLIHAL. Burnished pottery also occurs in the Chalcolithic [4.14] levels at GILUND and INAMGAON. The tradition continued during the early Iron Age in the context of the Megalithic grave pottery [11.15] found at BUDDITITTU and the early NBPW [11.16] levels of MAHESHWAR.
v1.c21.s2.4
For sites see respective entries in vol. II.—R.P. SHARMA