Dubgurs at work, Surat

Photograph of a group of men from the Dubgur caste making pots, at Surat in Gujarat, taken by Shivashanker Narayen in c. 1870, from the Archaeological Survey of India. Unglazed terracotta or earthenware pots would be used for storage of grain, spices or pickles. Vessels are also made for transporting and storing water. After photography was introduced into India in the 1840s it rapidly grew in popularity, particularly as a means to record the vast diversity of people and their dress, manners, trades, customs and religions. The first official attempt to create a comprehensive record of Indian types was the 'The People of India'; an ethnographical survey edited by John Forbes Watson and John William Kaye, and published in eight volumes from 1868 to1875.

Photographer: Narayen, Shivashanker

Medium: Photographic print

Date: 1870