Nal Terracotta bowl

A terracotta bowl from around 2500 BC from the Nal culture of the Indus Valley shows early skill in pottery-making. It was made by hand from local clay, fired, and usually covered with a red surface and simple black painted designs like lines, shapes, or plant patterns. The bowl’s shallow shape suggests it was used in daily life, such as for holding or serving food. At the same time, its decoration shows that people valued beauty as well as usefulness, reflecting the artistic and cultural traditions of the Nal culture.