History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c15.s2.6

v1.c15.s2.6

The beautiful Harappan pottery was fired in kilns specially built for the purpose. Harappan kilns have been unearthed in the course of excavation at Mohenjo-daro and Lothal. Of the two kilns laid bare at Mohenjo-daro, only one is somewhat intact and conveys us a fair idea of its functioning (Mackay, 1938, pp. 62, 102 and 177). It was located in the DK area which has yielded some of the most important structures and antiquities of the Indus civilization. The kiln, of fired clay, is elliptical on plan. It is 6 ft. long 4 ft. 9 in (1.80 x 1.47 m) wide but its height could not be known as the sides were already completely destroyed. The excavator has tried to reconstruct the kiln as follows : “A pit for the wood or reed fuel was prepared. Over this was a domed compartment to hold the vessels to be baked. Communication between the two was effected by round holes in the floor of the upper chamber (Mackay, 1938). In other words, the kiln can be said to have been provided with a fire chamber below whereas the holes were obviously provided to serve as outlets for the hot gas from below. This type of kiln, known as the vertical kiln was also in use in West Asia in prehistoric times (Singer, I, pp. 392-94).