Zawar

Zawar is a historic mining and metallurgical site in Rajasthan, India, located in the Aravalli region near the city of Udaipur. It is notable for one of the oldest known zinc ore mining districts in the world and for its ancient zinc-smelting industry.

The site comprises a network of old mine workings, terraces, waste dumps, and a series of cementation furnaces and workshops used to extract and refine zinc from zinc-bearing ores such as calamine. The remains indicate long-term mining and metal production from late antiquity through the medieval period, reflecting a complex industrial landscape rather than a single kiln or mine.

Zawar has played an important role in the study of early Indian metallurgy. Archaeological investigations have provided insights into early zinc technology, including cementation-based methods used to produce zinc metal from ore and the organization of mining and metallurgical activity in the region. The site demonstrates advanced ore extraction, ore processing, and metalworking practices that contributed to the broader history of metal production in the Indian subcontinent.

Today, Zawar is recognized for its historical and scholarly significance and is cited in discussions of ancient metallurgy and mining heritage in Rajasthan. While dating and precise origins are the subject of ongoing research, the site remains a key reference point for understanding early metallurgical practices in South Asia.