2,000-Year-Old Terracotta Dabber Identified in Nalgonda

A terracotta dabber, a clay tool believed to have been used in pottery making around 2,000 years ago, has been discovered at Appajipet in Nalgonda district. The artefact is believed by the Telangana History Team to date to the period preceding the Satavahanas. Team members Chikkula Yadagiri and Meka Ashok Reddy reportedly found the object at an agricultural field in the village. Telangana History Team president Sriramoju Haragopal disclosed the discovery on Tuesday.

According to Haragopal, ancient potters placed the terracotta dabber on the inner side of a vessel and struck it from the outside with a wooden paddle to give the pot its desired shape. Similar terracotta dabbers have previously been reported from Khera in Uttar Pradesh, with examples dated between 200 BC and AD 600, he said. The history team believes that scientific exploration of the Appajipet site could lead to the discovery of more archaeological remains.