History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c12.s1.t4.24

v1.c12.s1.t4.24

There is clear evidence all over South India that wherever reefs, veins, or stringers of quartz occurred carrying anything over 2 to 3 dwts of gold to the ton, they did not escape the attention of early prospectors. They were systematically explored, prospected and mined. Mostly the depth to which mining was carried out was limited by water. Fire-setting was the means employed for extracting the ore and in the bottom of the old workings at Hutti as well as others wood ash and charcoal were found. The only suggestion as to the tools employed comes from a gouge like iron implement found at Hutti which apparently seems to have been fitted on to a wooden hat to make a pointed instrument. Windlasses and ropes were employed; one was unearthed at Hutti where the face of the rock was found to have been rubbed into grooves by the wear of the rope (Munn, 1934).