has been central to human prehistory and history from the expansion out of Africa 50–60 thousand years ago (kya),1 through post-glacial expansions2 and the Neolithic transition 10 kya, to the historical period when Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Romans...
However, the Mauryan Empire (321–185 BC) made significant advancements in tunneling technology. Tunnels were used for irrigation, with some examples being the Pataliputra irrigation tunnels in present-day Bihar, India. Additionally, the construction of Emperor Ashoka’s rock-cut edicts, dating back...