Manufacturing

Flakes of various shades of agate, carnelian, jasper, chert, and lapis lazuli indicate the range of raw materials being processed in this part of Harappa during the Ravi phase. All of these raw materials were brought to the site from distant resourc… >

Composite overview of the steatite and faience workshop area in Trench 54 South taken using the bamboo ladder. Two images were pieced together on the computer to make this composite. North is to the right. >

During drilling, the tips of agate drills become hot and often spall off. Fine screens allow the collection of the spalled drill tips, the finding of which confirms that drilling as well as shaping of beads was done in this area of the site during t… >

A concave grindstone and angular pestle found in a room adjacent to the Trench 54 South workshop may have been used for grinding faience paste. >

Jasper drill bits were used for drilling carnelian and amazonite beads during the Ravi and subsequent phases at Harappa. On the left are two snapped drill tips while on the right is a broken drill base. All are from the Ravi phase. >

Broken canisters, often with glassy vitrified surfaces, were found throughout the Trench 54 South workshop debris. Lumps of frothy faience slag with embedded fragments of bone were also quite common in the debris. >

After excavation, the section view of the Ravi phase floors with agate manufacturing debris was drawn and photographed, and block samples were taken for micromorphological study. >

Part of a terra cotta kiln setter found in the Trench 54 South workshop debris. The tip is not vitrified and may have been buried in ash during the firing process. >

This plan shows concentrations of bead manufacturing debris on several superimposed Ravi phase floor levels that indicate the positions of actual work areas. >

A glazed terra cotta kiln setter with bone fused onto the splayed surface appears to have been an important part of the firing process in the Trench 54 South faience workshop. >