In a significant find at a newly excavated site near the Ghaggar-Hakra riverbed in Haryana, archaeologists have unearthed a mature Harappan glazed-steatite sintering workshop. The facility contains the earliest known evidence of high-pressure ceramic sintering, featuring a specialized furnace with dual-action terracotta bellows designed to maintain steady temperatures exceeding 1,100 degrees Celsius for the production of elite micro-beads.
Excavations revealed dozens of vitrified ceramic crucibles and specialized bone nozzles used to focus air into the sintering chambers. Unlike standard pottery kilns, this workshop was dedicated to the high-tech process of transforming raw magnesium silicate into the durable, lustrous 'faience-like' material prized in Indus Valley trade networks. The presence of standardized mineral-grading pits suggests a highly organized industrial hierarchy focused on technical precision.