fire and used to warm cold bedclothes or to keep hands and feet cozy while sleighing. Asia The ancient trading city of Tepe Yahya in southeastern Iran was a center for the production and distribution of soapstone in the 5th to 3rd millennia BC. Soapstone has been used in India as a medium for sculptures since at least the time of the Hoysala Empire, the Western Chalukya Empire and to an extent Vijayanagara Empire. Even earlier, steatite was used as the substrate for Indus-Harappan seals. After carving, the seals were heated above for several days to make them hard and durable to make the final seals used for making impressions on clay. In China, during the Spring and Autumn Period (771–476 BC), soapstone was carved into ceremonial knives. Soapstone was also used to carve Chinese seals. Soapstone was used as a writing pencil in Myanmar as early as the 11th century Pagan period.After that, it was still used as a pencil to write on Black Parabaik until the end of the Mandalay period (19th century). Australia Pipes and decorative carvings of local animals were made out of soapstone by Australian Aboriginal artist Erlikilyika (c.1865–c.1930) in Central Australia. Europe The Minoan civilization on Crete used soapstone. At the Palace of Knossos, a steatite libation table was found. Soapstone is relatively abundant in northern Europe. Vikings hewed soapstone directly from the stone face, shaped it into cooking pots, and sold these at home and abroad. In Shetland, there is evidence these vessels were used for processing marine and dairy fats. Several surviving medieval buildings in northern Europe are constructed with soapstone, amongst them Nidaros Cathedral. Modern usage In modern times, soapstone is most commonly used for architectural applications, such as counter tops, floor tiles, showerbases, and interior surfacing. Soapstone is sometimes used for construction of fireplace surrounds, cladding on wood-burning stoves, and as the preferred material for woodburning masonry heaters because it can absorb, store, and evenly radiate heat due to its high density and magnesite (MgCO3) content. It is also used for countertops and bathroom tiling because of the ease of working the material and its property as the "quiet stone". A weathered or aged appearance occurs naturally over time as the patina is enhanced. Soapstone can be used to create molds for casting objects from soft metals, such as pewter or silver. The soft stone is easily carved and is