Maarg Manthan · Topic 2.13

Glazed and Unglazed Pottery

Art & Culture › Sculpture & Numismatics · Topic 2.13

Glazed pottery is ceramic coated with a glassy layer that makes it waterproof and shiny, while unglazed pottery has no such coat and stays porous, like a clay water pot. In India unglazed terracotta goes back to the Harappan age and is still made at Molela in Rajasthan, Bankura in West Bengal and Nizamabad in Uttar Pradesh. Glazed pottery spread widely with Persian and Central Asian influence in the Sultanate and Mughal periods, giving the blue pottery of Jaipur, made of quartz powder and not clay, and the glazed tiles of Multan and Delhi. Longpi black pottery of Manipur is another famous unglazed craft.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Sculpture & Numismatics

At a Glance

Glazed Glassy coat, waterproof, shiny
Unglazed Porous, matte, earthen
Famous glazed craft Jaipur blue pottery, Rajasthan
Famous unglazed crafts Longpi, Nizamabad, Molela terracotta
Foreign influence Persian and Central Asian, from the Sultanate period
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Sculpture & Numismatics

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the four ancient wares and moves from archaeology to living craft. It joins the old pottery tradition with the handicraft and GI topics of the final macro. Previous topic: Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW). Next topic: Numismatics/Coinage (Punch-marked, Indo-Greek, Kushana, Gupta, Sultanate, Mughal).

How Do Glazed and Unglazed Pottery Differ?

Feature	Glazed pottery	Unglazed pottery
Surface	Glassy, shiny coat	Rough, matte, porous
Water use	Waterproof	Lets water seep, which keeps water cool in a matka
Firing	Higher temperature, often two firings	Lower temperature, often one firing
Examples in India	Jaipur blue pottery, Multan and Delhi tiles, Khurja ware	Terracotta, Longpi, Nizamabad black pottery, Molela, Bankura horse
Influence	Persian, Chinese and Central Asian	Indigenous, from Harappan times
Use	Tableware, tiles, decoration	Storage, cooking, ritual, sculpture

Which Indian Pottery Crafts Are Famous?

Jaipur blue pottery: Rajasthan; made of quartz stone powder, powdered glass, borax and gum, not clay; painted in cobalt blue and glazed; the craft reached Jaipur under Maharaja Ram Singh II in the 19th century; a Geographical Indication (GI) tag holder
Longpi black pottery: Manipur; handmade by the Tangkhul Naga community from local stone and clay, without a wheel
Nizamabad black pottery: Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh; black ware with silver designs, made with a dark smoke-firing method; GI tagged
Molela terracotta: Rajsamand district, Rajasthan; clay plaques of deities and folk gods
Bankura horse: West Bengal; the terracotta Bankura horse is a symbol of Bengal crafts
Khurja pottery: Bulandshahr district, Uttar Pradesh; a glazed and painted ceramic hub of north India
Kutch and Sindh pottery: kharad and painted ware of the Kutch region
Pokhran pottery: Rajasthan; Pokhran in Jaisalmer district has a known pottery tradition

What Else Should You Remember?

Glaze: a thin layer of glassy material, made from silica and fluxes, melted over the surface during firing
Terracotta: baked clay without a glaze, from the Italian word for baked earth, used for figures, toys, plaques and tiles
Harappan pottery: red ware with black paint, made on a wheel, was largely unglazed, but faience was a glazed material
Early glazed ware: Kushana-period sites like Taxila have glazed pieces, and glazed ware became common after the Sultanate period
Sultanate glazed tiles: blue and turquoise glazed tiles decorated tombs and mosques in Multan, Sindh and Delhi
Mughal period: glazed tile work, called kashikari in Persian, appears on buildings in Lahore and Agra, as in Mughal Style
Smoke firing: a method that blackens unglazed pots by trapping carbon, used for Longpi and Nizamabad pottery
Potter community: kumhar and prajapati communities are the traditional potters of north India
Wheel and hand building: the wheel makes round pots quickly, while hand-building is used for Longpi and many tribal crafts
Modern support: schemes of the Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of Culture help potters with kiln and design training; see Indian Handicrafts
GI tags: Nizamabad black pottery (registered in 2015-16) and Jaipur blue pottery (2008-09) hold GI tags; see GI Tags (Definition, GI vs Trademark, Rights, Famous Goods e.g. Darjeeling Tea, Banarasi Saree, Mysore Silk, Nagpur Orange; Latest Additions)
Earlier wares: the ancient archaeological wares are in Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW)
Why it matters for conservation: traditional kilns use wood, dung and clay from local pits, so questions on sustainability, livelihood and craft clusters often use pottery as an example
Terracotta temples: Bishnupur in West Bengal has brick and terracotta temples of the Malla kings, which show the architectural use of unglazed clay
Exam caution: do not treat all black pottery as one craft; Longpi is a hand-built Manipur ware, while Nizamabad is a wheel and smoke-fired ware of Uttar Pradesh

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Glaze meaning: glassy waterproof coat
Craft to state: Longpi in Manipur, Nizamabad in Uttar Pradesh, Jaipur blue in Rajasthan
Material: blue pottery has no clay
Smoke firing: black unglazed ware
Common errors: calling blue pottery a Bengal craft or saying that terracotta is glazed

As an analytical point, India’s pottery crafts show both continuity and foreign borrowing. GI protection, tourism and design support can help potters, but low incomes and changing demand for plastic and steel vessels remain threats.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Glaze Basic distinction
Crafts State and GI match
Influence Persian borrowing

What Came Next?

The next topic covers numismatics, the study of Indian coinage. Next topic: Numismatics/Coinage (Punch-marked, Indo-Greek, Kushana, Gupta, Sultanate, Mughal).

Key People and Terms

Glaze Glassy coating
Terracotta Baked clay
Kashikari Glazed tile work
Blue pottery Jaipur quartz ceramic
Smoke firing Blackening method
Kumhar Potter

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Glazed: glassy, waterproof; unglazed: porous.
Jaipur blue pottery has no clay.
Longpi: Manipur; Nizamabad: Uttar Pradesh.
Molela terracotta: Rajasthan.
Persian influence from the Sultanate period.

Do Not Confuse With

Glazed and unglazed Glass coat versus none
Terracotta and porcelain Low-fired earthen ware versus high-fired fine ceramic
Longpi and Nizamabad Manipur Naga craft versus Uttar Pradesh black ware

Memory Hook

Glaze shines and holds water; terracotta breathes and keeps it cool.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about crafts, GI and continuity. These points give a frame.

Continuity Harappan to modern
Livelihood Potter communities
GI Brand protection

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the challenges and opportunities of traditional pottery crafts of India.”

How to Answer

Intro Glazed and unglazed crafts.
Examples Jaipur, Longpi, Nizamabad.
Challenges Demand, raw material.
Close GI, design, tourism.

GS Relevance

Prelims: glazed versus unglazed, regional pottery crafts and GI tags. GS Paper 1: Indian heritage and culture, handicrafts and pottery traditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between glazed and unglazed pottery?

Glazed pottery is coated with a thin glassy layer that makes it shiny and waterproof, while unglazed pottery has no coat and stays porous. Terracotta and the earthen matka are unglazed, whereas Jaipur blue pottery and many tiles are glazed and need higher firing.

What is Jaipur blue pottery?

Jaipur blue pottery is a glazed craft of Rajasthan that uses quartz stone powder, powdered glass, borax and gum instead of clay. It is painted with cobalt blue and other colours and fired at a low temperature. It carries Persian and Turkish influence and has a Geographical Indication tag.

Where is Longpi pottery made?

Longpi pottery is made in Longpi village in Ukhrul district, Manipur, by the Tangkhul Naga community. It is a handmade black ware, shaped without a wheel from local stone and clay, and is a distinctive unglazed craft of the north-east.

Which unglazed black pottery comes from Uttar Pradesh?

Nizamabad in Azamgarh district, Uttar Pradesh, is known for black pottery decorated with silver designs and fired by a smoke method. Its black colour comes from trapped carbon, and it is a Geographical Indication tagged craft. It is often confused with Longpi pottery of Manipur.

What is terracotta in Indian art?

Terracotta is baked clay without a glaze, used for toys, figurines, plaques and temple decoration from the Harappan age onward. Modern centres include Molela in Rajasthan, Bankura in West Bengal and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, where terracotta animals and deities are made by hand.

Why is the topic of pottery important for UPSC?

Prelims asks for glazed versus unglazed distinctions, craft-to-state matches and GI tagged pottery, and Mains uses it for handicraft revival. Remember Jaipur blue pottery has no clay, Longpi is from Manipur, Nizamabad is from Uttar Pradesh, and Molela is from Rajasthan.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Jaipur blue pottery is made without clay.

True

It uses quartz powder and glass.

2 Longpi black pottery is from Nagaland.

False

It is from Manipur.

3 Terracotta is a glazed ware.