History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c12.s1.t2.5

v1.c12.s1.t2.5

In ancient times workings descended up to ground water level. Almost entire copper ore was extracted except in pillars for support of walls (which indicates considerable skills, patience and large manual labour). Timbering was not done except for holding in place broken schists separated by greasy partings. Dunn (1937) writes “One of the stopes at the south end of No 1 level, Mosaboni broke through into an ancient working, about 60 feet (vertically) from surface. The working is about 4 feet wide across the lode but extended for only a short distance along it, as this point was, of course, the bottom of ancient workings. After breaking through, old rotten timber was found, fragments 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Timbering was not a usual practice of ancients, pillars being left to hold up the hanging wall. At this place the hangingwall was very broken, slabs of schists being separated by greasy partings and timber was probably used to hold up such loose slabs”.