History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c15.s1.66

c15.s1.66

Excavations at Bangarh in the Dinajpur district of Bengal have revealed pottery rings of 2′-5″ in diameter, 8½″ in height and ¾″ in thickness used for the construction of ring-well, which may be ascribed to the Mauryan or early Sunga period Polished black pottery characteristic of this period has also been found in abundance here. Burnt bricks of very large sizes, viz., 16½″-18″ × 9½″-12″ × 2¾″ belonging to the Sunga and Kushan periods (2nd century B.C to 2nd century A D.), and 14″-15″ × 9½″-13″ × 1¾″-9¾″ ascribed to the Gupta period (3rd century to 5th century A.D), used for building purposes, have been found in abundance at Bangarh. Decorative bricks bearing the figures of men, animals, birds, flowers and foliage of sizes 8″-9½″ × 8″ × 2″-2¼″ have been discovered in a large number at a somewhat higher level belonging possibly to the later age, namely, the Pala period. Numerous terracotta objects, beads, plaques, moulds, figurines, toys etc., belonging to the Sunga, the Kushan and the Gupta periods have been unearthed in quantities. Roof-tiles, stamped pottery with designs of lotus and conch-shells and the oval-shaped round-bottomed pottery vases of medium size have also been discovered at a depth which might be ascribed to the Sunga and the Kushan periods. Terracotta and stone beads coated with white paints in designs have been particularly noticed among the findings belonging to the Sunga and the Kushan periods at Bangarh. The paint was probably applied first on the body of the bead and then fixed by heating. *Cf.* Fig. 19.