History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c15.s3.5

v1.c15.s3.5

Lal has offered a plausible explanation of the rolled nature of the OCP. In his opinion, “the pottery remained in contact with saline moisture throughout its long period of burial in the soil. An equilibrium was established between the pottery and its saline and moist environment and there was no surface erosion or disintegration in this condition of equilibrium. Once the pottery was excavated and brought to the surface, the moisture present therein evaporated leaving the solidified salts in the pores. The crystallization of soluble salts in the new environment brought the disintegration of the pottery (Sinha, p. 95)”. Lal concludes that the OCP remained exposed to atmosphere for a considerable period and consequently it underwent weathering before it was sealed by the debris of the succeeding occupants.