History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c12.62

c12.62

The mortars used by the Indus Valley people consisted mainly of mud. But in the later periods gypsum cement of a light grey colour was employed for painting the walls of certain buildings at Mohenjo-daro. The gypsum used contains a considerable proportion of sand and clay, and a trace of calcium carbonate. A high percentage of lime has been found in an exceptionally well-constructed drain of the intermediate period at Mohenjo-daro. Analyses of certain samples of mortars collected from different spots and sites are given in Table II. It will be observed that these mortars were made generally of gypsum, lime and sand.