An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c5.8

v1.c5.8

Around sixth century B.C. a patent fabric, the Northern Black Polished (NBP) Ware, makes its appearance in northern India with its nuclear area in Bihar and eastern U.P. and area of spread extending to Kandahar in Afghanistan, Somnath on the Arabian Coast, Chandraketugarh near the Indo-Bangladesh border and Korkai in Tamil Nadu. It continued in use till about the end of the second century B C and in the peripheral sites a little later. This Ware is a godsend to archaeologists who use it as a chronometer for the historical period. The principal excavated sites where this Ware has been found are Ahichchhatra, Ayodhya, Chandraketugarh, Hastinapura, Kausambi, Mathura, Pataliputra, Rajghat, Rajgir, Ropar, Sanghol, Semthan, Sisupalgarh, Somnath, Sringaverpura, Sravasti, Tamluk, Ujjain, Vaisali and Vidisha.