History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c12.s1.t5.4

v1.c12.s1.t5.4

(Rajasthan) and Ingaldhal (Karnataka). Radio carbon dating of mine timber and charcoal shows that large scale mining took place between 3000 years (late Chalcolithic - early Iron Age in India) and 1800 years ago to a maximum depth of 254m for lead, silver and zinc with a further phase for zinc at Zawar and lead and copper at Rajpura- Dariba from the 13th century to late 18th century. (Paliwal, Gurjar, Craddock, 1986). Investigations of the mines at Zawar show that about 2200 years ago sphalerite production took place at Zawar though it would have then been roasted to oxide and combined with copper to make brass by the cementation process rather than via the metal (Willies, 1987).