The Antiquities of Orissa v1.c8.80

v1.c8.80

**[38]** Before commencing a building, the proper course is to dig a hole, measuring in every direction an *aratni*, or a cubit from the elbow to the end of the little finger. This being afterwards carefully plastered with mud, a saucer is to be filled with *ghi*, provided with four wicks on four sides, and placed on the bottom of the hole. The wicks being now lighted, if they burn uniformly and brightly, the ground is fit for building; otherwise it is bad. Another and more practical and intelligible method is to press into the hole the earth excavated from it; if the earth should fill up the hole and leave a surplus, the ground is good; if it should barely fill it up, but leave no surplus, the ground is indifferent; but if it should prove insufficient, the ground is positively bad.²⁸ The prevalence or absence of particular kinds of trees, and the readiness or otherwise with which seeds sprout when sown in the ground, are also held as tests of its fitness for building upon.