Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c44.s5.t2.5

v2.c44.s5.t2.5

Varāhamihira prescribed several methods for quarrying massive rocks, using the principle of alternate heating and cooling for disintegrating the rocks (*Br. Sam.*, 54.112-114). Presence of horizontal and vertical joints sometimes helped in the quarrying of massive sand stones (like the Vindhyan sandstones). (Lahiri, 1971: 496) Recently a series of stone quarries has been discovered near Chunar in Mirzapur. The Maurya period massive pillar-like stones were carefully chiselled.