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History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c29.s2.t3: Bricks

History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c29.s2.t3

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English

Bricks

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Bricks both unbaked and baked are standard building material since Pre-historic times. Their use has been attested from Pre- Harappan levels. Bricks are made of clay which is easily available in plenty in alluvial lands and was economical for use. It could be moulded in desired shapes, dried in the sun and used in unbaked form. Sun dried bricks were baked for use in structure to withstand weathering and resist wear-and-tear to last longer.

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Unbaked mud bricks or adobe was used extensively in Pre- Harappan and Harappan times and upto historic period. Even to day unbaked bricks are used in undeveloped rural areas specially in arid and semi-arid regions.

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*Nature of clay:* The soil used for fabrication of bricks consists mainly of clay along with natural impurities of the soil as quartz, mica, feldspar, calcite, kaolinite, depending upon the basic material from which the soil is formed. Main criterion for the mud to be useful for moulding bricks is its plasticity. Pure clay is very plastic and natural impurities affect its plasticity. The nature of the minerals, shape and size of the grains, presence of soluble salts and organic material influence the suitability of the soil for bricks. Plasticity can be increased by adding selected clay and can be decreased by adding quartz, sand, slag, organic material like husk of rice, or chopped straw. The composition of the brick varies according to the region.

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In *Yajurveda-Saṃhitā* and *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* hair of goat, very fine sand, pounded rock and iron filings are mentioned as degressant material. These materials help in holding the non- plastic ingredients of the clay together. Use of *Ukhya-bhasma* is mentioned as an additive to mud for making bricks in *Baudhāyana Śulba Sūtra*. Most of the bricks are rectangular, yet bricks in various shapes and types: square, wedge shaped, L Shaped, decorated and inscribed have been used according to their specified use.

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Wedge shaped bricks are found for steening wells, and are reported from Harappan period onwards. These are also used for construction of circular structures in early historic period. e.g.. at Lauriya Nandangarh, Kaundinyapura for stupas.

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Square bricks have been reported from a large number of sites (vide infra).

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*Round and cubical bricks are also known*

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*L-Shaped bricks* - the Ksatrapas, Guptas and later rulers used decorative pieces by moulding. This is attested from Bhitargaon, Nibiakhera, Sirpur, Nalanda, Vikramsila etc. Such bricks were used in eastern India till medieval times.

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*Light weight bricks* - these were made specifically where heavy bricks could not be used. These were made by adding to the clay such material which will be partially burnt out releasing carbon dioxide. For this the clay was mixed with limestone, organic matter like saw dust etc. At the Ramappa temple at Palampet (Andhra Pradesh) the use of light bricks is noted. The *Śikhara* there is made of such bricks. These bricks have low density and can even float in-water.

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*Bricks used in Śyena-citi (Altars)* - Bricks of typical shapes and sizes are noted from Kausambi and Jagatgram. These are also inscribed.

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*Size of bricks*: On the basis of measurement of bricks from various Harappan sites and structures the range of the size in cm is: 50 to 25 (length) × 25 to 12.5 (width) × 12.5 to 6.35 (thickness); keeping the general ratio of 4:2:1. The most common size is 28 × 14 × 7cm. A few examples may be necessary - earliest use of bricks (unbaked and baked) is attested for the first time from Pre-Harappan levels at Kalibangan (Dt. Ganganagar, Rajasthan)

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*Kalibangan*: 30 × 20 × 10 cm (laid in English Bond) and the ratio of length: breadth: thickness is 3:2:1. (Pre-Harappan level). A large number of Harappan sites have been excavated and there is a great variety of structures and hence despite the standardization there is bound to be different sizes and shapes. Kalibangan Harappan levels reveal two sizes of bricks 40 × 20 × 10 cm in the earlier phase and 30 × 15 × 7.5 cm in later structural phase, both have the same ratio e.g. 4:2:1. (Harappan level).

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*Banawali* (Dt.Hissar, Haryana): Pre-Harappan levels reveal unbaked bricks and following sizes in the ratio of 3:2:1 (as that at Kalibangan) are recorded: 30 × 20 × 10 cm, 36 × 24 × 12 cm, 39 × 26 × 13 cm an aberrant size square in nature is also reported e.g. 24 × 24 × 12 cm.

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*Mitathal* (Dt. Haryana): Here also Pd I the size of the brick is 30 × 20 × 10 cm and in PD IIA the size is either 40 × 20 × 10 cm or 36 × 18 × 9 cm. (4:2:1).

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*Surkotda* (Dt Kutch, Gujrat) Some structures show 40 × 20 × 10 cm size (4:2:1).

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*Daimabad* (Dt Ahmadnagar, Maharashtra): Here too in Period II (Late Harappan) the size is 32 × 16 × 8 cm 28 × 14 × 7 cm (4:2:1).

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*Post-Harappan Chalcolithic context*: At Gilund (Ahar culture) mud bricks of the size 40 × 22 × 7 cm and 33 × 13 × 10 cm and baked bricks of 35 × 15 × 12 cm have been reported. These look to have no resemblance with Harappan size.

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*O.C.P. and P.G.W. Cultures*: Some old bricks and brick fragments have no doubt been reported from O.C.P. culture for example from Lal Qila, Saipai, Bhagwanapura and Hastinapura. Their number is limited, there are no structural remains nor any intact brick.

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From Kausambi large sized bricks have been reported in very large number, from 9 feet thick rampart dated to c. 1000 B.C. their size is 48 × 33 × 7 cm.

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At Hastinapura some bricks have been reported from P.G.W. level but these are fragmentary and only their thickness is known to be 5.6 cm.

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*N.B.P.W. Culture*: There are regular brick structures during this phase datable to 600 B.C. to 200 B.C. and have been reported from a large number of sites but these do not fall in any fixed dimension. A few examples are given below:

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Hastinapura itself has three sizes 45 × 25 × 7 cm. 30 × 23 × 6.5 cm and 37 × 23 × 6.5 cm.

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Bricks from Mathura measure 40 × 24 × 5 cm and those from Kausambi show a range with 48 to 35 L × 30 to 18 B × 7.6 to 5.6 Th. Rajghat (ancient Varanasi) again has range of bricks 50 to 48 L × 31-29 B × 7 to 6 cm Th. Most common size taking all the N.B.P. sites is 45 × 24 × 7 cm.

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Mathura (Kankali Tila tank) has three sizes 40 × 25 × 5 cm. 30 × 26 × 4 cm and 30 × 17 × 5 cm; Hastinapura bricks of this period measure 37 × 22 × 6.5 cm and 28 × 28 × 10 cm (the latter are square). Eran bricks measure 43 × 23 × 7.5 Sringverpura bricks range 41.5 to 44 × 27 to 28.5 × 5.5 to 7 cm.

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Gupta Period: Brick size during the Gupta period also shows a wide variation. Large bricks like 61 × 31 × 9 cm and small bricks 19 × 19 × 16 (square) are found. A few examples giving range of length × breadth × thickness in cm will illustrate the point:

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1. Sārnāth : 41.91 to 22.86 × 29.21 to 17.78 × 13.97 to 5.08 cm Square 22.86 × 22.86 × 5.08

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2. Rājghat : Unbaked 48:26 × 22.86 × 9.27, baked 40 × 24.76 × 9.72

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3. Kusīnagar : 39.37 to 20.32 × 24.13 to 12.7 × 6.98 to 4.44

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4. Śrāvastī : 60.96 to 24.13 × 30.48 to 20.32 × 8.89 to 5.08

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5. Bhita : 4.72 × 15.24 × 7.62

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6. Kumrahār : 45.72 to 30.48 × 33.02 to 22.86 × 17.78 to 3.98

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7. Vaiśālī : 41.26 to 13.97 × 27.94 to 13.97 × 6.35 to 5.08

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8. Bodhagayā : 18.58 to 11.43 × 18.58 to 11.43 × 15.54 to 11.43 (Square bricks)

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9. Bhītargaon : 45.72 to 33.02 × 26.67 to 22.67 × 7.62 to 5.08

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10. Ahicchatra : 45.72 to 25.4 × 26.67 to 21.59 × 8.4 to 5.08

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11. Candraketugarh : 33.02 to 30.48 × 22.86 × 5.04 to 4.44

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12. Ratnagiri : 45.72 × 22.86 × 7.62

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13. Eran (Pd III) 38.10 × 27.94 × 10.16

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14. Devnimori : 48.26 to 40.64 × 33.02 to 15.24 × 24.76 to 6.35

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15. Taxila : 45.72 to 25.40 × 35.56 to 17.78 × 6.35 to 5.08

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16. Kaveripattanam : 41.91 × 24.13 × 10.16

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17. Paharpur (Bangladesh) Round bricks of 16.0 cm, 13, 10.5 cm diameter and cubical bricks 7.62 × 7.62 × 7.62

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18. Bharauch : 7th century A.D. 40.64 to 30.48 × 27.94 to 20.32 × 7.62

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19. Thaneshwar (Harsha’s time) 35.56 × 21.59 × 6.35

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20. Burogoan (Dt. Jhansi A.D. 10th century) 35.0 × 23.76 × 6.35 445; 0×29.84×6.35.

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The above description of the size of the bricks from N.B.P.W. phase to Gupta period and onwards brings out the fact that bricks though made in moulds do not show any standardization as prevalent during Harappan period. This is mainly due to the fact that no scale was prevalent (none has been reported from any site after the Harappans). The measurements were taken from human body, length of the brick was based on hasta (forearm e.g. cubit), breadth on vitasti (stretched hand or span) and the thickness was based on four *angulas* (fingers). As this varied from person to person, the variation in the size of bricks can be explained as done by Lal (1983).

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