An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v2.c45.142

v2.c45.142

Of pottery no specific information in present-day terminology is available, but an on-the-spot examination may reveal some recognizable wares. Mention is made of 'early glazed pottery', about the 3rd century B.C. to the 1st century A.D. (Hamid *et al*., 1922, p. 52), but while the early glazed Kushan pottery is invariably green-blue in colour [11.26], all the specimens here are red. Perhaps they are pieces of what would not be called the Red Polished Ware of the early centuries A.D. [11.23]—a guess supported by the mention of *surāhīs*, spouts, etc., all characteristics of that Ware. There are potter's dabers [16.11] and spindle whorls [6.25]. Said to be of 'Gupta and medieval periods' are the *hāṇḍī*, water jar, jug, mica-dusted saucer, lid, some with a 'boss at the centre to serve as a handle', cup, lamp, inkpot [20.2], etc. A comparatively recent count of the distribution of NBPW [11.16] (R.E.M. Wheeler and Krishna Deva in *AI*, I, 1946, p. 56) includes Sanchi.