Steatite
Also called: Soapstone · Topic: Harappan (Sindhu-Sarasvati) Civilisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Bricks, Beads and Bones"
Meaning
Steatite, or soapstone, is a very soft stone that is easy to carve. The Harappans used it most for seals and beads. Sometimes they ground it into powder, made a paste, and moulded it into beads. It came mainly from south Rajasthan and north Gujarat. That is one reason Lothal in Gujarat was a useful settlement.
Example
Most Harappan seals, such as the "unicorn" seals of Mohenjo-daro, are made of steatite. Harappan steatite micro-beads, which are extremely tiny, have also been found in the Khetri area of Rajasthan. How they were made is still a technological puzzle.
Don't confuse with
- Faience: a man-made material of fired sand or silica paste. Steatite is a natural stone, though it could also be powdered and moulded.
Related concepts
- Chanhudaro
- Harappan bead-making
- Carnelian
- Carnelian beads
- Faience
- Lapis lazuli
- Shortughai
- Khetri copper region
- Harappan bronze
- Daimabad bronzes