Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c11.s6.t4: Lead

v1.c11.s6.t4.1

Considerable quantities of lead ore were formerly extracted from mines near Ajmer in Rajputana. Lead is known to occur at several places in Bihar and Orissa, the central provinces and the Cuddapah and Kurnool district of Madras. With the exception of iron, there is perhaps no metal whose ores appear to have been worked to so large an extent in India as those of lead. An ancient lead mine with very extensive workings has already been referred to as occurring at Farinjal in the Ghorband valley of Afghanistan. Lead ore is common in many localities in southern Afghanistan. The Mohenjo-Daro lead may well have come from Ajmer. The old mines in this District were of great extent and (in 1830) had the appearance of having been worked for centuries. The metal may otherwise have come from the Farinjal mine in Afghanistan, or other mines in the south of that country or from Persia.