A new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports has analyzed convex glass fragments excavated from Mauryan-era layers in Ujjain. Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), researchers identified specific chemical additives—including rare earth oxides—that enhanced the refractive index of the glass, suggesting these were not decorative beads but early experimental lenses.
The study argues that these lenses may have been used in conjunction with the precise astronomical calculations described in the Jyotisha Vedanga. While not full telescopes, the optical properties suggest they were utilized as 'magnification aids' for reading dense astronomical tables or observing subtle planetary shifts, indicating a sophisticated level of material science in ancient Indian optics centuries earlier than previously recorded.