Domestic Hearths and Industrial Furnaces from Khirsara in ...

Domestic Hearths and Industrial Furnaces from Khirsara in Gujarat

Jitendra Nath1, R.N. Kumaran2 and Bipin Chandra2 1. Archaeological Survey of India, Mumbai Circle, Sion Fort, Sion (E), Mumbai – 400

022, Maharashtra, India (Email: [email protected]) 2. Archaeological Survey of India, Excavation Branch – V, 3rd floor, VUDA Bhavan,

Karelibaug, Vadodara – 390018, Gujarat, India (Email: [email protected], [email protected])

Received: 09 June 2014; Accepted: 11 July 2014; Revised: 21 August 2014 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2 (2014): 272‐282

Abstract: Excavations at Khirsara (23° 50ʹ N; 69° 05ʹ E) has revealed a well planned fortified trapezoid shape settlement with citadel in the south, ware house on east, residential annexes on north and factory area just opposite the northern face of citadel. The excavations here have revealed an industrial hub engaged in copper smithing, bead making and shell crafting. These activities need intense and controlled firing. The evidences were noticed in the form of various types of simple hearths to the complex furnaces. The various types thus exposed during the course of excavations are discussed here.

Keywords: Khirsara, Kachchh, Citadel, Hearth, Kiln, Furnace, Tandoor Chullah

Introduction Khirsara (23° 50ʹ N; 69° 05ʹ E) is a small village situated in Nakhatrana taluka of Distrixt Kachchh, Gujarat. It is about seven km south of the village Ravapar on the Bhuj‐Narayan Sarovar State Highway and five km north of village Netra. The archaeological site here, locally known as ‘Gadhwadiʹ is surrounded by two seasonal streams on the northern and southern side which drains into river Khari flowing around 400m away from the site (fig.1).

The four seasons of excavations have yielded cultural debris belonging to the mature Harappan period in the form of Citadel on the south, residential complex on the north, ware house in the south east and factory area in the centre and opposite to the citadel in the north – all with separate enclosures but within well planned double fortified outer wall. The settlement is trapezoid in shape and measures 310m x 230m and provided with corner bastions and salient at regular intervals. Apart from the above, the excavations have uncovered various types of firing activities in the form of domestic hearths and complex industrial furnaces. One of the interesting features is the series of furnaces outside their settlement, secured by a thick wall.

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ISSN 2347 – 5463 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2: 2014

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the natural soil and runs east‐west though out the trench. It contains a huge amount of charcoal, ash, potsherds (mostly fine fabric of reserve slipped ware) and large amount of heavily burnt small stones of various shapes. Further, a rectangular shaped hearth was exposed in Citadel in complex B along with a chardrasila (semi‐circular) stone just near the hearth and adjoining the wall. Storage jars placed on the floor confirms some domestic activity.

An oval shaped hearth was noticed in the factory area. The diameter is 0.40m and the maximum depth is about 0.15m. This hearth was filled with heavily burnt stones. Traces of fire places were found in many rooms. In one of the rooms, a circular pot secured with stones on two sides and walls on the remaining sides were uncovered. The pot was filled with pebbles of various shapes. Obviously, these pebbles were used for indirect heating or as heat retainers.

Kiln/Furnace A furnace is a device based on a central furnace used for heating. Sometimes used as a synonym for kiln, it is a device used for the production of ceramics. Excavations have revealed an exclusive area for kilns/furnaces situated outside the general fortification wall on the eastern side with separate enclosure of 2.60m in width. The surface has revealed a series of kilns of various sizes and two were exposed. Both these kilns are cut into the bed rock – first of its kind in Harappan context. According to Hegde (1978: 109‐111), there are three essential components in a pottery‐kiln, viz., 1) a fire chamber with one or more fuel‐feed apertures, where fuel is burnt in a continuous supply of air; 2) vents to transfer the hot gases generated in the fire chamber into the baking chamber; 3) a baking chamber which is an enclosed space, like an oven, where sun‐dried clay ware are carefully stacked and heated to the required temperature.

Furnace 1 Furnace 1 is circular in plan and has two chambers (fig.2), one above the other. Its longer axis along the mouth, meant for supply of fuel, had two hallow compartments (fig.3). The fire reaches the upper chamber through 15 flues, all of which are interconnected (fig.4). The walls on both the sides are mud plastered. Due to constant firing at high temperatures, the walls are vitrified. Except stray potsherds and ashes nothing was recovered from their inner chamber. It clearly indicates that most probably the objects were kept one above another on the top for baking. The evidences also shows that in the later stages, the use of the kiln was minimized in the form of raised inner wall in‐between the longer axis and circular chamber and also in the form of a few closed flues with flat stones on the outer surface. This kiln measures 3.80 m in diameter and 5.42m in longer axis. The diameter of the flues ranges from 0.10m to 0.15 m.

Furnace 2 The second kiln is also rock‐cut one and circular in shape (fig. 5 & 6). With a fuel chamber in front – all are open. The interior of this kiln also shows the evidences of

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firing at a high temperature. The diameter of the chamber is 2.20 m and the overall length is 3.60 m.

Figure 2: Rock cut Kiln‐1, Khirsara

Figure 3: Interior of Kiln‐1, Khirsara


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Figure 4: Interconnected flues, Kiln‐1, Khirsara

Furnace 3 The surface cleaning beyond the second enclosure wall has revealed a circular single chamber furnace (fig.7). Its longer axis along the mouth measures 1.5m, while its diameter is 2m with a central stump measuring 0.25m. This brick lined furnace plastered with mud was heavily vitrified due to overheating. This small kiln with dwarf walls indicates that it may have been used by coppersmiths. A thick bowl of coarse grey ware was found fused with the vitrified wall. The further excavation might unfold its probable use.

Apart from the above, the excavation inside the citadel, factory area and residential areas has revealed furnaces of different shapes and sizes.

Furnace 4 Furnace 4 was noticed on the south facing retaining wall of the platform 3 in the factory area. This platform probably covered with thatched roof was encased with a stone foundation and storage jars embedded on the south‐west corner. A flight of steps was provided at a distance of 7.65m along the west facing wall. Facing east, this pear shaped huge furnace was partly disturbed (fig.8). With a square centre stem measuring 0.30m x 0.30m x 0.20m, the whole furnace measures around 1m (NS). The western end of the furnace is secured with a single stone wall running towards south. The vitrified clay and the reddish colour soil with a huge centre stump – all suggest that this furnace is used for a considerable time.

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Figure 5: Rock cut Kiln‐2, Khirsara

Furnace 5 Furnace – 5 (fig.9) was noticed in platform 1, which is located south of complex 2 in the factory area. This platform is square in plan measuring 4.40m x 3.55m. Encased with single course stone, this platform was plastered with thick clay. An oval shape furnace


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Figure 6: Close‐up view of Kiln‐2, Khirsara

Figure 7: Kiln‐3, Khirsara

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Figure 8: Pear‐shaped furnace, Khirsara

was added to its south east corner. This furnace measures 1.10m on east‐west axis. The base of the furnace is secured with flat terracotta plate to sustain the heat. Bricks kept on ‘edge’ in ‘V’ shape were noticed along with ashes, charcoal and burnt terracotta lumps. The southern side of the furnace is secured by a single course wall of 0.60m wide towards west and runs up to 3m and ends abruptly leaving a space for the entrance for the complex II. On the north‐west corner of the platform – the important and interesting discovery is the bead hoard which contains nearly 363 gold, agate, carnelian and serpentine beads and three gold spiral rings in a small terracotta red ware pot (fig.10). On the south west corner of the platform, a rough square single stone platform probably used as seat or anvil and a storage jar secured with single stone line along the border are also noticed.

Tandoor Chullah Tandoor chullah – is a double pot chullah, semicircular in shape measuring 0.35m in diameter and 0.75m in depth. Kept one inside the other, the gap in between the two was filled with mud. The pot is filled with charcoal and ashes. This chullah was exposed near the north‐west corner of the platform 4 in the factory area and was secured with walls on two sides. The finishing of both pots shows that these pots were meant for this purpose only.

Discussion The evidences in the citadel revealed that during the mature phase, there was a huge flood that destroyed the whole site. They reorganized the plan of the site, while doing


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Figure 9: Oval‐shaped furnace, Khirsara

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Figure 10: Bead hoard, Khirsara

so; they had a community kitchen with a huge ‘chullah’ noticed over the flood deposit. A large amount of ash, charcoal and bones were also noticed in the nearby refuse pit.

The intense industrial activity from the factory area during the middle phase was noticed in the form of hearths, charcoal, ash dumps, heavily burnt cracked pebbles and discarded pottery scattered all over. This shows the ongoing industrial activities of the Harappans on a large scale. The shell objects, copper artifacts and the beads of various raw materials reveals the nature of the products produced within the factory area while the huge secured furnaces outside the fortification wall also shows that heavy and large scale work was taken up there. The most probable function of these lined furnaces might be used in the production of ceramics or in the production of faience objects. Further, it also shows the safety measures adopted by the Harappans in preventing fire hazards and the easy availability of raw materials from the nearby area. As the river is situated just near the site and the ground area is flat natural rock which is ideal to keep ceramics when in leather hard condition. It can be inferred from the above that the kiln/furnace found beyond the outer fortification wall at Khirsara was a general rule of Harappans to have the large scale firing activities beyond the fortification wall which is also evidenced from Harappa and Mohenjadaro where the


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same type kiln/furnace were exposed on the peripheries of the mound. Further excavations beyond the fortification wall of most of the Harappan sites will surely add new dimensions to the Harappan Archaeology.

The carbon samples collected from kilns/furnaces and hearths from various levels in industrial as well as from domestic areas will help in deciding the different phases of occupation and industrial activities at Khirsara.

Acknowledgements The authors are very much thankful to Shri N.B. Soni, J.B. Makwana, B.M. Rohit, H.R. Tadvi, G.B. Varia, K.P. Parmar, N.M. Rawal of the Archaeological Survey of India, Excavation Branch – V, Vadodara. Shri. Partha Dhara, Surveyor Grade‐II, ASI, Kolkota Circle, R.S. Shambarkar, Photographer Gr‐II, ASI, Temple Survey Project (North), Bhopal and M.B. Shah, Photographer Gr‐I, ASI, Vadodara Circle. Special thanks are due to Shri Amol Kulkarnai, Ramraj Meena, S. Nandha Kumar, Salim Sheikh, Nirav Darji, Ms. Kalyani Vagehla, Sejal Jam and Shailja Pande for rendering their assistance in the field.

References Hegde, K.T.M. 1978 Ancient Indian Pottery‐Kilns, Puratattva 9: 109‐111. Nath Jitendra, R.N.Kumaran, Bipin Chandra and Ramraj Meena. 2013. ‘Fortified

Factory at Harappan Metropolis Khirsara, Gujarat’, Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology (1): 424‐437.

Nath, Jitendra and R.N.Kumaran. 2012. ‘Inscribed Material from Khirsara, Dist. Kachchh, Gujarat, Itihas Darpan 17(2): 235‐242.

Nath, Jitendra. 2012. ‘Excavations at Khirsara’, Itihas Darpan 17(1): 58‐69. Nath, Jitendra, R.N.Kumaran and Amol Kulkarni. 2012. ‘Excavations at Khirsara: A

Harappan Outpost in Kachchh’, Puratattva 42:122‐132.

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