History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c12.s1.t7: Zawar Mochia
History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c12.s1.t7
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Zawar Mochia
v1.c12.s1.t7.1
Mochia has a series of parallel almost vertical ore bearing beds outcropping as a high ridge for a strike length of nearly 7 km. Beds and oreshoots have been removed across a total maximum width of around 30 m, but this varies considerably. Most of the ridge is characterised by trench type workings or by inclines and shallow shafts; use of round pointed ‘gads’, and of wedge ended chisels was common and fire-setting has also been used producing characteristic ovoid gallery sections and rouded hollow depressions in walls or roofs, or gallery ends. Small timber stemples, fitted in natural crannies or in holes seem to have been used for climbing, and for supporting waste overhead.
v1.c12.s1.t7.2
At the western end of the open workings of Mochia, as well as smaller trench workings a large opencast quarry has been developed, 30-40 m wide at its deepest. It is between 10-40 m wide and at least 300 m along the strike. The method of extraction seems to have been to cut upwards and behind individual beds, causing them to fall to the quarry floor. Packs of rubble stone are to be found in two places, built up to provide access to the last working places. Hammer and ’gad’ or some form of pick seems to have been used.
v1.c12.s1.t7.3
Underground ancient working are found almost to river level, to a depth of almost 200 m. Iron ‘gads’ a draw hoe for filling baskets, an iron pestle, woven basket work, rope and timber have been recovered.