Rare Northern Black Polished Ware of 2nd century BC found in Chhattisgarh mud fort

DAMROO, BALAODA BAZAAR (CHHATTISGARH): In a unique and first of its kind, Chhattisgarh archaeology department has unearthed most distinctive rarest of the rare ceramic pieces of Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) dating back to 2nd century BC from its 2000-year-old mud-fort site Damroo in Baloda Bazaar-Bhatapara district.
Mainly found in Northern parts of archaeological sites including Taxila in Pakistan, Hastinapura, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Pataliputra, Champa in Bihar, excavation of NBPW may include state's 40- acre of Damroo site among elite club of important sites in country.
The pottery is considered as rare and luxurious for it's made uniquely well navigated with fine clay, and that it has not been found in abundance indicates that it was among precious potteries found in ancient period which was used mainly by the elite or royal people.
Talking to TOI, Shivakant Bajpai, Excavation director Damroo and archaeologist Rahul Singh said, "This is the first finding of precious NBPW in Chhattisgarh and has been found in about 254 places in Indian sub-continent. Yielding this ceramic becomes an identity for any archaeological site because of its rarity. Properly baked and the paste potted in fast spinning wheel, the mat-finish shine pottery ware makes metallic sound when clinked and when broken, it has fine coarse unlike other potteries."
Though finding this ware may be infrequent but has been found in wide area like Saurashtra in Gujarat, Bandgarh in Bangladesh, Udaigram in Afghanistan, Tilorakot in Nepal and in Koraikal near Pondicherry, Bajpai added.
"It was mainly manufactured between 6th century BC to 2nd century BC right from Buddha period and Mauryan period. While terracotta seals from 1st century AD were found, hopes for NBPW surfaces. Moreover, being a pottery hub, finding black and red ware, black slip ware which are associated wares of NPBW was promising," he said.
Now, the associated material would be sent for carbon dating to expert labs for authentication of its dates and would also make drawings with help of experts to find which part of pot or vessel are the pieces that are found.
As per preliminary findings, seven pieces of NBPW has been found and according to Purushottam Sahu, excavation assistant chances of more such findings in the ancient mud-fort can't be refuted.
Dr BR Mani, additional director general, ASI (retd), Delhi told TOI, "What I could gather from archeologists is that NBPW is deposit of 50 centimeters which can date back to 2nd century BC period when Buddhism was spreading. The ware might have come through monks who might have stayed during migration and must have brought these potteries from north India."
Dr Mani who excavated in Ayodhya during 2002-03 was the first to earliest date NBPW around 1200 - 1300 BC.
Director, Chhattisgarh culture and archaeology department Rakesh Chaturvedi said, "History of Chhattisgarh begins from 4-5 century AD onwards with few dotted evidences of early period. But finding this precious ware on 2nd
century BC will help us connect the chronology of state's history as well as archaeology in continuous era.

About Damroo: Located about 96 kilometres from state capital, Damroo has yielded richest pottery with black and red ware/ slip ware/ luster ware/ mica ware / stemmed or decorated pottery/ miniature pots. Around hundreds of potteries were found intact on all levels of excavation which indicate huge urbanization on the site with ceramic industry. Evidences also indicate that Damroo was a Buddhist site with more than a dozen Votive stupas and other important artefacts