Developments in Technology in the Mauryan Empire-ugc

Developments in Technology in the Mauryan Empire-ugc

1-We get a great deal of information about the technical developments in the Maurya period from the treatise, Arthasastra.

2- In Arthasastra. there are detailed descriptions of military machines which use the principle of centrifugal forces.

3-However. the ideas to power these

machines with inanimate sources such as wind, water. steam or electricity, did not exist then.

4-There was considerable development in civil engineering.

5-For increasing the productivity of

sitcr land, many forms of irrigation came to be used.

6- Excellent roads were built through out the empire to Facilitate mobility of the army and the traders.

7-Corduroy roads were built over

swamps using trimmed logs.

8- For example. in Bihar, such roads ran for miles even in the seventh century A.D.

9- Most'of the buildings were made of wood.

10-Asoka, possibly for the first time in India introduced stones to,construct buildings.

11-Stones were polished to a mirror-like finish and used for the construction of pillars and arches.

12-There was some development of rural industries also.

13- Small industries and relevant

technology came into being near the sira lands for husking of grain, pressing of oilseeds,carding of cotton and wool.

14-spinning of yam, grading and processing of wool, manufacture of blankets and shaping of timbers into planks and beams.

15- The concept of factory production

took shape, probably for the first time. as the above commodities were produced under the direct supervision of the superintendent of the "crown store houses".

16-Local labour was seasonally engaged,when agricultural operations were slack.

17-The books showed meticulous

recording of normal loss of every,kind of material at each state of processing, average outpuc of efficient labour, final weight or measurement of the finished product etc.

18-These records were used to control production.

19-The greatest contribution to the advancement of technology was perhaps, made in the area of metallurgy and metal working.

20- The shifting of the seat of power from the north-west to Magadha, was mainly due to the increasing demand for iron, copper. tin, lead and other

metals.

21-The metals were needed for making weapons and ploughshares. the two essential pillars of the Mauryan state as well as for manufacturing other goods ot trade. 22-There are careful, though brief, descriptions in the Arthasastra for reducing and smelting ores.

23-Distinction between different ores, in terms of their appearance and other properties, and the corresponding distinction in processing techniques are elaborated.

24-Metallurgy of making alloys was also developed.

25-The finest of iron ores from different parts of the empire, especially the south  were brought for making alloy steels.

26-Swords made from these alloys

were sold in many countries,including Greece.