A Lapidary

[Khandro]

After seeing this picture I learnt that a lapidary is a cutter of gemstones . Can anyone tell me - or even hazard a guess what he is doing? I see he is squatting on a stool behind an instrument which resembles a sort of toast rack and is holding a wire in his left which is threaded through them and a wand of some sort in his right. Thank you.
http://www.upl.co/upload/d5Im2Lr6P

[spathiphyllum]

Out of cutting, engraving and polishing, the man in the picture looks like he would be engraving, if any. A total guess.

[jackthehat]

It is a stylised form of bow drill;

https://www.google.com/search?q=bow+drill&client=firefox-b-d&source=lnms&;tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitlLTt7uPiAhWq0eAKHbO_CgIQ_AUIECgB&biw=1920&bih=944

[jackthehat]

Actually, that's probably more accurately described as a bow-lathe.

[jackthehat]

https://www.slideshare.net/Zellwerk/elise-morero-fatimid-rock-crystal-carving-techniques-10th-12th-century-ad

Illustration 15 explain your image. :o)

[Khandro]

Thanks Jack, there seems to be no 'mark as best answer' showing, but you get the cigar anyway.

I see from the picture that his left-hand isn't simply holding the spindle, it is in fact holding the gemstone. Great! thanks again.

[tamborine]

I saw similar workshop near Taj Mahal. No mechanism :(