Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c13.s3.4

v1.c13.s3.4

That bead-making was carried on in the immediate neighbourhood is suggested by the findings of a saw and the stone drills that were lying closed by. This saw, an interesting tool, is without teeth, handle or even rivet holes for a handle to be attached. The absence of a toothed edge suggests that it was used exclusively for stone working, possibly to slice nodules of agate or carnelian; some agate bars which were to be converted into beads actually bear saw-marks. To assist its action, an abrasive of some kind, such as powdered quartz or emery would also be necessary. Fragments of soft stone such as alabaster, limestone, and steatite found in the Indus cities show that a workman was rarely able to cut straight through even a soft piece of stone but attacked it from various angles until he was able to break it in the centre of the cuts. (MCK, 49, 179)