Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c25.s6.12

v1.c25.s6.12

The Kośala region mentioned by the BS is probably South Kośala which has the 60 miles long by 10 mile wide diamond field of the former Bundelkhand area around the famous Pānnā (24⁰ 43'30" N, 80⁰15 'E). The diamantiferous stratum consists of a ferruginous clay which contains, besides diamonds, fragments of sandstone, quartz, hornstone, red jasper etc., and “deserving of special mention, a green quartz (prase), the abundant occurrence of which is considered a good sign by the diamond seekers” (Bauer, 1968: 151) We suggest the possibility that the place was named Pānnā to indicate emerald, which resembles prase, widely occurring in the area, in greenness. The 100 ft deep old diamond mine at Majgoha (Maigama) south-west of Pānnā is now a cone-shaped depression filled with green mud.