History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c15.s4.t3.5

v1.c15.s4.t3.5

A potter’s kiln was uncovered in the course of excavations at Inamgaon (Dist. Poona). It belongs to Early Jorwe period (Circa 1400-1000 B.C.). It is like a huge trough made of clay and embedded in the ground on stone foundations (Dhavalikar et al 1988; Vol.1, pt.i, pp.255ff). It appears to have been built in situ. Its maximum diameter is 1.75 m and at a depth of 60 cm from the top were found clay cushions in the kiln placed over the fire chamber. These cushions are oval in shape and have a hole in the center and a groove on the middle of each side; the holes in the center obviously served as outlets for the hot gas. In the base of the kiln were flues or air ducts radiating from the center. To the north east of the kiln was the fire passage lined with stones and reaching below the bottom of the kiln where an andiron or firedog of clay was placed. It is rectangular in shape with projecting corners and curved upper sides for supporting firewood. At the time of baking pottery the firewood on the andiron was lit and the resulting hot gas would be passed above through the flues and holes and grooves in the clay cushions. It is thus a unique kiln which has so far no parallel within the country or even beyond. But in principle it is akin to those from Indus cities which were provided with several holes for the hot gas (Mackay, 1938). The clay and iron inside the fire chamber has, however, parallels in West Asia where they have been dated to Circa 2700-200 B.C (Braidwood, Jr, pp. 371-73, Fig.290-91,A&B)