Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c11.s7.6

v1.c11.s7.6

When Mackay took the charge of excavation in the DK and HR areas of Mohenjo-Daro, he found a number of ingots and castings there, which threw considerable light on the metallurgical activities at Mohenjo-Daro. But no typical kiln or furnace (which would have been used for smelting the ores) was found from there. So it may be that this work was done in the vicinity of the mines and the crude metal ingots (and not the ore) were supplied to the workers to make the refined metal. It could also have been possible that the ore was smelted in an open hearth with charcoal over a cavity in the ground into which the metal ran. As Childe was pointed out, this same process was formerly used in Japan for smelting copper-ore, except that the pits were lined with clay, lighted charcoal being first placed on the floor of the pit and then the ore and charcoal in alternate layers, the reduction being assisted with the aid of a blast'. (MCK, 450-51)