This chapter traces out the geological history of the Ridge. At its core, the Ridge is – as its name implies – geological, and many layers of Delhi have been built atop this stony foundation. The chapter follows the long journey of the Ridge's stones, from the formation of the Ridge 1.5 billion years ago to the struggles of post-colonial stone quarry workers and the transformation of the Ridge into a zone for rock climbing and elite recreation (suggested by the moving image below).

And below is an outline of the chapter sections, along with the time periods and places covered in this chapter. (N.B. Some shifting and reorganization occurred between the production of this image and the final publication of the book.)