Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c11.s5.14

v1.c11.s5.14

This hypothesis of Mackay was confirmed when he got a number of kilns, and judging from the masses of potsherds around them it may be said definitely that these were exclusively used for the baking of pottery. These were open furnaces of the type still being used by the Sindhi potters. The advantages of these ovens, originally derived from "the practice of enclosing a fire with clay to concentrate the heat and subsequently raising the surrounding wall to a dome" are that the heat can be graduated by flues according to requirements, with a corresponding saving in fuel and the avoidance of smoke strains. (MCK, 177)