History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c15.2

v1.c15.2

Scholars have tried to explain the circumstances leading to the making of pottery. The baskets used for storage in the pre- ceramic period were lined with clay with a view to preventing the grain from falling out through the holes in the woven pattern. Such baskets have been reported from Beidha (Israel); they are coated with gypsum plaster (Melaart, p.62). It is very likely that one such basket may have accidentally fallen into fire, burning the reed work and leaving the fired clay coating which got hardened in the process.