Thomas a ceramist, sculptor, and painter who traces his love for clay to a childhood spent playing with mud during monsoon. The famous Indian artist makes simple and organic ceramic forms using traditional Indian techniques. Take a look at the wonders that Thomas Luis creates in Goa.

Goa's oldest craft: This ceramic designer creates wonders behind the pottery wheel

The discovery of opium residue in 3,500-year-old pottery fragments by Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday provided proof for the idea that the hallucinogenic narcotic was utilised in ancient funeral ceremonies.&nbsp;

After a number of Late Bronze Age burials were discovered during excavations in the central Israeli town of Yehud in 2012, the Israel Antiquities Authority and Weizmann Institute of Science joined forces to conduct a collaborative examination.&nbsp;

At the site, archaeologists discovered clay containers from the 14th century BC that resembled the poppy flowers—from which opium is manufactured.

The researchers claimed in a statement that they next looked to see if they had been used as receptacles for the substance, which earlier writing had revealed was utilised in Canaanite burial ceremonies. They discovered "opium residue in eight vessels."&nbsp;

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According to Ron Be'eri, an archaeologist with the antiquities department, these were probably "placed in graves for ceremonial meals, rites and rituals performed by the living for their deceased family members."

During these ceremonies, "family members or a priest on their behalf" would "attempt to summon the spirit of their dead relatives... and enter an ecstatic state by using opium", Be'eri said.

But he agreed that there was still a lot to learn about its historical use. He remarked, "We can only speculate what was done with opium."

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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The discovery of opium residue in 3,500-year-old pottery fragments by Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday provided proof for the idea that the hallucinogenic narcotic was utilised in ancient funeral ceremonies.

The discovery of opium residue in 3,500-year-old pottery fragments by Israeli archaeologists on Tuesday provided proof for the idea that the hallucinogenic narcotic was utilised in ancient funeral ceremonies. After a number of Late Bronze Age burials were discovered during excavations in the central Israeli town of Yehud in 2012, the Israel Antiquities Authority and Weizmann Institute of Science joined forces to conduct a collaborative examination. At the site, archaeologists discovered clay containers from the 14th century BC that resembled the poppy flowers—from which opium is manufactured. The researchers claimed in a statement that they next looked to see if they had been used as receptacles for the substance, which earlier writing had revealed was utilised in Canaanite burial ceremonies. They discovered "opium residue in eight vessels." Also Read: Indian 'fantasy' gaming platform sues Google to stop new gaming policy, calls it discriminatory According to Ron Be'eri, an archaeologist with the antiquities department, these were probably "placed in graves for ceremonial meals, rites and rituals performed by the living for their deceased family members." During these ceremonies, "family members or a priest on their behalf" would "attempt to summon the spirit of their dead relatives... and enter an ecstatic state by using opium", Be'eri said. But he agreed that there was still a lot to learn about its historical use. He remarked, "We can only speculate what was done with opium." (with inputs from agencies)

Israel: Opium residue discovered in 3,500-year-old pottery, proves narcotic use in funeral

As per an official of the Archaeological Survey of India,&nbsp;Artefacts&nbsp;dating back to 1600-2000 BC including weapons made of copper and pieces of pottery have been found&nbsp;in the Mainpuri district of&nbsp;India's Uttar Pradesh, reported PTI.

According to&nbsp;Raj Kumar Patel,&nbsp;ASI's Superintending Archaeologist of Agra Circle, the location where the objects were found in the&nbsp;Ganeshpura village of Kurawali tehsil belonged to the&nbsp;chalcolithic period, also known as the&nbsp;copper age.

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&nbsp;A&nbsp;farmer had found&nbsp;the ochre colour pottery, anthropomorphic figures and the copper weapons in a field on June 10.

"Initially, he tried to hide these thinking that he got some precious objects," PTI&nbsp;quoted the official from the Archaeological Survey of India.

The official also added that&nbsp;police and the local administration recovered the objects from him later.

Watch |&nbsp;Six-metre long whale found dead on a beach in Panama

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Patel told PTI, "We stayed for about eight days in the village and carried out a scientific investigation of the field from where the objects were found. It was found that the weapons and other objects found are 3800-4000 years old and belong to the chalcolithic or copper age. The weapons are of made pure copper."

The weapons included some swords measuring close to one metre long and harpoons of multiple&nbsp;types. Among the ones found, one&nbsp;of the harpoons has four edges.

Experts claim that according to the size of the objects, the weapons were seemingly used by&nbsp;warriors or the army.

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According to Vasant Kumar Swarnkar, spokesperson of the Archaeological Survey of India, "such artefacts are typically&nbsp;found in the Ganga-Yamuna doab."

"Our investigation is on and only after proper investigation, we would be able to speak more on the findings," PTI quoted Swarnkar.

(With inputs from agencies)

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As per an official of the Archaeological Survey of India, Artefacts dating back to 1600-2000 BC including weapons made of copper and pieces of pottery have been found in the Mainpuri district of India's Uttar Pradesh, reported PTI.

As per an official of the Archaeological Survey of India, Artefacts dating back to 1600-2000 BC including weapons made of copper and pieces of pottery have been found in the Mainpuri district of India's Uttar Pradesh, reported PTI. According to Raj Kumar Patel, ASI's Superintending Archaeologist of Agra Circle, the location where the objects were found in the Ganeshpura village of Kurawali tehsil belonged to the chalcolithic period, also known as the copper age. Also read | Preserved for centuries: Tortoise and her egg found in new Pompeii excavations A farmer had found the ochre colour pottery, anthropomorphic figures and the copper weapons in a field on June 10. "Initially, he tried to hide these thinking that he got some precious objects," PTI quoted the official from the Archaeological Survey of India. The official also added that police and the local administration recovered the objects from him later. Watch | Six-metre long whale found dead on a beach in Panama Patel told PTI, "We stayed for about eight days in the village and carried out a scientific investigation of the field from where the objects were found. It was found that the weapons and other objects found are 3800-4000 years old and belong to the chalcolithic or copper age. The weapons are of made pure copper." The weapons included some swords measuring close to one metre long and harpoons of multiple types. Among the ones found, one of the harpoons has four edges. Experts claim that according to the size of the objects, the weapons were seemingly used by warriors or the army. Also read | Scientists decode secret of eternal youth: Be born as turtle According to Vasant Kumar Swarnkar, spokesperson of the Archaeological Survey of India, "such artefacts are typically found in the Ganga-Yamuna doab." "Our investigation is on and only after proper investigation, we would be able to speak more on the findings," PTI quoted Swarnkar. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Copper age weapons, pottery found in India's Uttar Pradesh

Amid economic woes, Lebanon's traditional pottery has witnessed a sharp drop. Traditional pottery can be traced back to the Phoenicians.

Lebanon's economic woes: Pottery sees sharp drop in demand

A young engineer in Kashmir valley is trying to re-engineer pottery by giving it a modern look to restart the halted wheels of traditional potters. Saima Shafi is a civil engineer by the day and a potter by the evening. At her small studio in Srinagar, she tries to make kitchen items out of clay to raise awareness among the traditional potters of the valley.&nbsp;

She feels potters have been looked down upon over the years and with time many have left the profession owing to the modern kitchen culture and limited sales. Perusing her passion after completing her engineering and with a government job in hand, Saima went to Bengaluru, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka chasing her love for pottery.&nbsp;

"Through online platform and media, I'm trying to let traditional potters know that there are modern techniques to pottery which we can have at the international and national level. This sector will have an economic boom by these methods," says Saima Shafi.

Now, she regularly meeting traditional potters to teach them new techniques, make them familiar with modern tools, and bring a sense of pride in them for their art. For years, authors have written the obituary of pottery in Kashmir but if this goes right for her, she may very well prove them wrong.&nbsp;

Her products include modern unearth pots, cups, plates, and other decorative items. Saima likes to call herself a 'Kralkoor,' meaning 'potter girl' rather than an engineer. She now wishes to increase the income of potters to give them a decent living.&nbsp;

A young engineer in Kashmir valley is trying to re-engineer pottery by giving it a modern look to restart the halted wheels of traditional potters. Saima Shafi is a civil engineer by the day and a potter by the evening.

A young engineer in Kashmir valley is trying to re-engineer pottery by giving it a modern look to restart the halted wheels of traditional potters. Saima Shafi is a civil engineer by the day and a potter by the evening. At her small studio in Srinagar, she tries to make kitchen items out of clay to raise awareness among the traditional potters of the valley. She feels potters have been looked down upon over the years and with time many have left the profession owing to the modern kitchen culture and limited sales. Perusing her passion after completing her engineering and with a government job in hand, Saima went to Bengaluru, the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka chasing her love for pottery. "Through online platform and media, I'm trying to let traditional potters know that there are modern techniques to pottery which we can have at the international and national level. This sector will have an economic boom by these methods," says Saima Shafi. Now, she regularly meeting traditional potters to teach them new techniques, make them familiar with modern tools, and bring a sense of pride in them for their art. For years, authors have written the obituary of pottery in Kashmir but if this goes right for her, she may very well prove them wrong. Her products include modern unearth pots, cups, plates, and other decorative items. Saima likes to call herself a 'Kralkoor,' meaning 'potter girl' rather than an engineer. She now wishes to increase the income of potters to give them a decent living.

Engineer-turned-potter tries to re-engineer pottery in Kashmir

For 64-year-old New Yorker Victoria Rosenblatt, giving up her calming pottery hobby during the stresses of the coronavirus lockdown was not something she wanted to contemplate. But her local pottery studio had been forced to close. So she purchased from the studio a mini pottery wheel on which she can make tiny pots and jugs at home.

Brooklyn pottery studio sells tiny takeout 'quarantine kits' as it seeks to survive

It has already been over four decades that Buddhi Ram Prajapati has been in the pottery business which he inherited from his forefathers.

Prajapati never thought of changing his profession, until now. The clay he used for&nbsp;pottery is running out.

"We use to bring the clay from Jagati (Bhaktapur) where we use to get it abundantly but now it is coming to an end as more houses are being built over. Now we are bringing the clay from some other place. Sometimes we bring it from Harishiddhi (Lalitpur) and sometimes from Sankhu (Kathmandu), wherever the clay is available I have to buy it from there," Buddhi Ram Prajapati told ANI while making his pottery's.

Price of a vehicle loaded with clays ranges from NPR 700 - 10,000 per vehicle for a trip.

"The previous place (Jagati) from where we use to bring on the clay is numbered to be best, but with clay from the new place; we cannot make some big items. Quality of clay from the previously brought places was much fertile and there was less chance of breaking of the items but the items made from the new clays breaks quite often," Prajapati complained.

According to him, clay from newer places has a high composition of sand which decreases the quality of pottery items.

Potters have to go to farther distance in search of clay which consumes more time and additional expenses, consequently plummeting the price of pottery items.

Potters usually get a profit of NPR 2 on a "Pala", traditional earthen lamp and NPR 8 from the sale of a "Matka", a cup made of clay which is meant for single use only. But the price goes high if they use high-quality black clay.

In order to maintain the price as well as the quality of products along with continuing these inherited ancestral businesses, Prajapati said he is thinking of purchasing land with fine quality clay.

"We have been searching for places with clay that fits us or else buying land where we can get the required clay abundantly, we are thinking of it," Buddhi Ram Prajapati said amid the confusion as his business lingers in the uncertainty.

The Pottery Square here attracts a large number of tourists as well as buyers of the pottery items which are found in a comparatively lower price than in the main market.

Prajapati clan which is the oldest residing family of this particular square in Bhaktapur has been preserving and promoting the pottery business from ancient time. Though their business is under threat, they are determined not to leave the business at any cost.

"If there's no clay, there comes situation none other than quitting the business but I won't leave my profession till the clay exists there," Buddhi Ram Prajapati said.

It has already been over four decades that Buddhi Ram Prajapati has been in the pottery business which he inherited from his forefathers. Prajapati never thought of changing his profession, until now.

It has already been over four decades that Buddhi Ram Prajapati has been in the pottery business which he inherited from his forefathers. Prajapati never thought of changing his profession, until now. The clay he used for pottery is running out. "We use to bring the clay from Jagati (Bhaktapur) where we use to get it abundantly but now it is coming to an end as more houses are being built over. Now we are bringing the clay from some other place. Sometimes we bring it from Harishiddhi (Lalitpur) and sometimes from Sankhu (Kathmandu), wherever the clay is available I have to buy it from there," Buddhi Ram Prajapati told ANI while making his pottery's. Price of a vehicle loaded with clays ranges from NPR 700 - 10,000 per vehicle for a trip. "The previous place (Jagati) from where we use to bring on the clay is numbered to be best, but with clay from the new place; we cannot make some big items. Quality of clay from the previously brought places was much fertile and there was less chance of breaking of the items but the items made from the new clays breaks quite often," Prajapati complained. According to him, clay from newer places has a high composition of sand which decreases the quality of pottery items. Potters have to go to farther distance in search of clay which consumes more time and additional expenses, consequently plummeting the price of pottery items. Potters usually get a profit of NPR 2 on a "Pala", traditional earthen lamp and NPR 8 from the sale of a "Matka", a cup made of clay which is meant for single use only. But the price goes high if they use high-quality black clay. In order to maintain the price as well as the quality of products along with continuing these inherited ancestral businesses, Prajapati said he is thinking of purchasing land with fine quality clay. "We have been searching for places with clay that fits us or else buying land where we can get the required clay abundantly, we are thinking of it," Buddhi Ram Prajapati said amid the confusion as his business lingers in the uncertainty. The Pottery Square here attracts a large number of tourists as well as buyers of the pottery items which are found in a comparatively lower price than in the main market. Prajapati clan which is the oldest residing family of this particular square in Bhaktapur has been preserving and promoting the pottery business from ancient time. Though their business is under threat, they are determined not to leave the business at any cost. "If there's no clay, there comes situation none other than quitting the business but I won't leave my profession till the clay exists there," Buddhi Ram Prajapati said.

Pottery businesses threatened due to shortage of clay in Nepal

With the festival of lights Tihar around the corner, manufacturers of clay potteries are finding it difficult to meet the high demand for oil lamps (diyas or palas), which are traditionally used for celebrations. 
 
"Some makers produce between one thousand to five thousand in a day, it depends on the manpower, and those with higher manpower can produce more compared to those with lesser manpower," Prajapati told ANI. 
 
Even on the day of Laxmi Pooja, potters say they do not get time to rest as they have to meet the rush of the orders. 
 
"On the day of Laxmi Pooja also we make Palas. Here in Bhaktapur people purchase those which are not baked over the fire. Those who have to transport it to other places they buy the baked ones so that it won't break," Prajapati added. 
 
On average, it takes a week for the potters to prepare clay pots, lamps and other by-products that will be used for the festival. 
 
The average income of the potters here during the festive seasons sees a surge to as much as 50,000 Nepali rupees per month whereas it stands at around 20,000 Nepali rupees a month in other times. 
 
Pottery is the ancestral business of people of a majority of people living in and around Nepal's one of the ancient town of Bhaktapur who has been preserving and promoting it since years. 
Most potters here have inherited it from their grandparents with some practicing the craft for over 50 years.

With the festival of lights Tihar around the corner, manufacturers of clay potteries are finding it difficult to meet the high demand for oil lamps (diyas or palas), which are traditionally used for celebrations.

With the festival of lights Tihar around the corner, manufacturers of clay potteries are finding it difficult to meet the high demand for oil lamps (diyas or palas), which are traditionally used for celebrations. "Some makers produce between one thousand to five thousand in a day, it depends on the manpower, and those with higher manpower can produce more compared to those with lesser manpower," Prajapati told ANI. Even on the day of Laxmi Pooja, potters say they do not get time to rest as they have to meet the rush of the orders. "On the day of Laxmi Pooja also we make Palas. Here in Bhaktapur people purchase those which are not baked over the fire. Those who have to transport it to other places they buy the baked ones so that it won't break," Prajapati added. On average, it takes a week for the potters to prepare clay pots, lamps and other by-products that will be used for the festival. The average income of the potters here during the festive seasons sees a surge to as much as 50,000 Nepali rupees per month whereas it stands at around 20,000 Nepali rupees a month in other times. Pottery is the ancestral business of people of a majority of people living in and around Nepal's one of the ancient town of Bhaktapur who has been preserving and promoting it since years. Most potters here have inherited it from their grandparents with some practicing the craft for over 50 years.

Bhaktapur's potters get busy as Tihar festival nears

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