History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c17.s2.t3.11

v1.c17.s2.t3.11

Agate and carnelian continued to be the principal gem minerals for making beads during the Historical Period. Out of the sixty beads of semi-precious stones recovered from the IVth phase (post 600 B.C. period) of Atranjikhera in Western Uttar Pradesh, 25 were agate beads, 15 carnelian, 10 jasper and 8 quartz (Gaur, R.C., 1983). At Hastinapura, 211 beads were found in successive phases starting from 1000 B.C.; 78 were made of carnelian and agate (Lal, B.B., 1954 & 1955). At Ahichchhatra (post 300 B.C.) a large majority of the stone beads were made of banded and etched agate and carnelian (Dikshit, 1952).