In India the history of terracotta goes back to the dawn of civilization on the subcontinent. Beginning with the prehistoric period, discoveries at several new Harappan sites in India excavated since 1947 and the remarkable terracotta figurines unearthed in Mehrgarh in Pakistan is worth mentioning.

Although the southern peninsula cannot boast either of the antiquity or the richness of the prehistoric terracotta tradition of the north, one particular region around the Nilgiris has yielded clay sculptures fascinating for their abstract yet robust forms which reveal connections with earlier northern figures.

The topological continuity with Harappan culture is evident from material excavated at Taxila. The lesser known site of Sugh in Haryana reveals types that spread across the northern plains all the way to the most important site for terracotta sculpture discovered in the subcontinent, Chandraketugarh in West Bengal.

When considering terracotta as an art form one can not discount the numerous examples of fine ancient pottery still in existence today. It is the adaptability and affordability of terracotta that made it a favored medium for many artists.