Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c12.s4.4

v1.c12.s4.4

Next to steatite, the greatest number of stone beads are made from the silicate stones which are all more or less pure varieties of quartz. There are two main divisions of silicate stones. The first included the transparent varieties of quartz of which the chief are colourless quartz or rock crystal, amethyst, yellow quartz or cairngorm and smoky quartz. The second division includes the pellucid and opaque varieties such as agate, carnelian, chalcedony, chert etc. (MSV, 398) In Harappa, the beads found were of the second variety only. The first variety was common in Mesopotamia, but strangely not in Harappa.