History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c29.s2.t2.23

v1.c29.s2.t2.23

Carving, Dressing, Pecking, Grinding and Polishing : For carving out monolithic columns, brackets, doorways and windows, position of the facade pillars, cornices, beams and doorjams etc. the portions requiring carving were first marked and then carved out. These were finished by more careful and light strokes of chisel by experienced and trained artisans. After blocking, scooping and carving out different architectural members, the dressing of surfaces were made even by parallel straight chiselling as can be noticed in Lomas Rsi cave. The ridges produced by the above mentioned chiselling were removed. In this process of thinning called as pecking one chisel mark overlaps the other and prepares flat surface ready for grinding and polishing. Grinding is done (after even surface is produced by pecking) with the help of coarse grained stone, coarse sand and wetting the surface throughout the process. In this process a vigorous rubbing of the surface was carried out, removing all ridges, pitts, moles and chisel marks. Pillars and all other members were also given this treatment before polishing. For polishing some shining agent was supposed to be added during polishing, but this is not supported by factual evidence. The shine is the result of extensive burnishing with fine stone and fine grained sand. It brings out polished surface which in some cases glistens rather than shinning. The final shining surface also depends upon the quality of the stone.