Ancient practice of soil treatment in India

It is important to know how in the ancient times soil treatment was accomplished when no technologies related to ground improvement probably have existed. Before the advent of western knowledge in India, a number of soil stabilization methods were developed by Indians and were used successfully for various purposes. The traditional practices, however, have come a long way without proper documentation and records. Few records of soil stabilization techniques that were developed in ancient India, from the prehistoric and Vedic period (up to 600 B.C) to the period of Shilpa Shastra (1500 A.D.), are available. This paper summarizes and examines some of the ground treatment methods developed in ancient India and their relevance to the modern day technology.