Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c11.s10.1

v1.c11.s10.1

It is a known fact that brick, pottery and miscellaneous terracotta objects have been found in abundance at the Indus Valley sites, specially at Mohenjo-Daro. Now most of the pottery was made of clay of a good quality. Both Marshall and Mackay are of the opinion that the inhabitants used the local alluvial clay for their making of the potteries. This clay is slightly different from that used by the potters who practise their art in the vicinity at the present-day. This alluvial clay requires comparatively little tempering material and burns a pink or light red colour. (MS-I, 289, MS-II, 686) The clay sometimes became rather porous and even fissured on being baked owing perhaps to insufficient kneading, but it answered the purpose extremely well and very creditable specimens of potters’ art were made with it.