Carnelian mines in Gujarat

Abstract

In June–July 2000 a sample collection programme was completed in the extant carnelian mines of Jhagadia Taluka, Broach District, Gujarat, Western India (FIGURE 1). The predominant rationale behind the fieldwork is an Africanist one. Namely, to obtain modern comparative material which could be elementally analysed and compared with samples of carnelian beads from archaeological contexts in West and West-Central Africa. For besides local production of carnelian beads in West Africa, it seems that certain examples were also imported via trans-Saharan trade routes, probably from India (Insoll 2000). However, at present such an attribution remains purely hypothetical, based as it is upon the colour, workmanship, and shapes, resembling the carnelian bead production of Western India. Beads known to have been extensively exported in the medieval period, the focus here, and of course before (Theunissen et al. 2000). Thus it is hoped that the geochemical analysis of the carnelian samples from Gujarat will either prove or disprove a trade to West Africa. Following a successful pilot study at the NERC LA-ICP-MS facility at Kingston University, the full programme of analysis will now be completed in co-operation with Dr Dave Polya in the new LA-ICP-MS facility at the School of Earth Sciences, University of Manchester.

Late Neolithic to Early-Mid Bronze Age semi-precious stone bead production and consumption at Oakaie and Nyaung’gan in central-northern Myanmar

“…The concept of late prehistoric cultural exchange processes between South Asia and Mainland and Island South East Asia (ISEA) was strongly supported by Bellina's(2001) thesis on semi-precious stone bead production and consumption across South and Southeast Asia. 1500 detailed bead chaîneopératoireanalyses providedfirm linking evidence for the extremely high skill levels required for the production of the finest carnelian and agate beads, using the 'Cambay technique' attested historically and studied in great ethnoarchaeological detail in India (Bhan et al, 2017;Insoll and Bhan, 2001; J.M. Jonathan M. Kenoyer et al, 1991;Roux, 2000;Vidale et al, 1993Vidale et al, , 1992, and beads excavated in Southeast Asia.…”