Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c12.s3: Special Potteries and Clays
Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c12.s3
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Special Potteries and Clays
v1.c12.s3.1
Almost every type of pottery found in Mohenjo-Daro have also been found at Harappa. On the other hand, the converse is not equally true; it is observed that there are many varieties of vessels found at Harappa which are not represented at Mohenjo-Daro. In colour, the pottery of Harappa, like that of Mohenjo-Daro is prevailingly light-red and the clay of which it is made, more often that not, has a natural admixture of sand and lime or both, but only in such small quantities that these cannot be easily detected with the naked eye. (MSV, 275)
v1.c12.s3.2
In Harappa a distinction is marked between the burial and household pottery. Whereas the household pottery is usually made of comparatively coarse clay, the clay of the burial ware is of fine grain, better levigated and puddled, a little softer and therefore a trifle more plastic. Whereas the prevailing colour of the household ware is red and black, the sherds of the other class are of a decidedly deeper red colour with brighter slip on which the black painting becomes automatically pronounced. (MSV, 246)
v1.c12.s3.3
Vats commented that the Cemetery H (burial) pottery is strikingly different from the characteristic pottery of the town sites, both at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. The clay of this Cemetery H pottery is generally of a finer texture, better levigated and puddled and at the same time softer and more plastic. It turns a deeper red and has a brighter red slip on it. The distinction between the two classes of pottery is equally observable in their paintings which have little or nothing in common with each other. (MSV, 275) It is believed that Cemetery H potteries are of later dates.