History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c12.s1.t7.1

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.