Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c15.s2: Pottery
Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c15.s2
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Pottery
v1.c15.s2.1
The pottery at Ahar is not only abundant but very distinctive, both in fabric and technique, shape and decoration. Ahar is notable for its Black- and Red-Ware with white paintings, and also rich and varied types of Red-Ware and Grey-Ware.
v1.c15.s2.2
The Ahar potter has demonstrated how a pottery — even utilitarian like storage jars — can be made beautiful without painting. The pottery is remarkable for the sense of production and self-restraint displayed. In the storage jars we find fine decorations with cut, applique and incised ornaments in the shoulder.
v1.c15.s2.3
The Black- and Red-Ware at Ahar was produced either by the inverted firing technique and/or the double firing technique. The Red- and Grey-Wares had several sub-types. The finer wares with almond slip, red slip with stony core and chocolate slip, show the use of well-levigated clay along with fine sand, hay and possibly ash. Typical items were storage jars with corrugated necks and shoulders, dish-on-stand and stepped dish-on-stand. The dish-on-stand and the lustrous red ware of Ahar show some resemblance with Harappan wares. These styles were transmitted to Navdatoli.