Pottery in the Indian subcontinent
Pottery in the Indian subcontinent has an ancient history and is one of the most tangible and iconic elements of Indian art. Evidence of pottery has been found in the early settlements of Lahuradewa and later the Indus Valley Civilisation. Today, it is a cultural art that is still practiced extensively in the subcontinent. Until recent times all Indian pottery has been earthenware, including terracotta.
Painted under-eave roof-tile, Sri Lanka, 5th century.
Potteries on display in Dilli Haat market, New Delhi, India.
Indus Valley Civilisation pot from Harappan phase found at Quetta in Baluchistan, c. 2500-1900 BCE.
A storage jar from the Mature Harappan period at the National Museum, New Delhi, c. 2700-2000 BCE
Indian art consists of a variety of art forms, including painting, sculpture, pottery, and textile arts such as woven silk. Geographically, it spans the entire Indian subcontinent, including what is now India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and at times eastern Afghanistan. A strong sense of design is characteristic of Indian art and can be observed in its modern and traditional forms.
Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka, circa 250 BCE. Sarnath Museum, near Varanasi, India
Rock painting at one of the Bhimbetka rock shelters.
Prehistoric petroglyphs in the Edakkal Caves, Wayanad
The Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro"
