The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v1.c19.s7.21

v1.c19.s7.21

Along with pottery, metal-work of various kinds must have been known from very early times. No settled agricultural community could get on without blacksmiths, whose services were required in the manufacture and repair of agricultural implements; and contemporary evidence proves that apart from agricultural implements, the blacksmiths manufactured other articles of general use like water-vessels of iron,³ and weapons of war such as arrow-heads, spear-heads and swords.⁴ Besides working in iron, the metal-workers practised the art of bronze-casting with considerable skill. This is shown by the discovery in different parts of Bengal of a large number of bronze or octo-alloy images, dating from the Gupta period onwards (*cf.* Chs. XIII, XIV). Jewellery, too, provided occupation to a considerable group of metal-workers, for it was the fashion of the rich to use gold and silver dishes and ornaments made of pearls and precious stones and metals (*supra* pp. 613, 618) for personal adornment. The Deopārā inscription of Vijayasena mentions “flowers made of precious stones, necklaces, ear-rings, anklets, garlands and golden bracelets,” worn by the wives of the king’s servants.⁵ The same epigraph speaks of temple girls “the charms of whose body were enhanced by (the wearing of) jewellery.”⁶ The Naihāṭi Plate of Vallālasena refers to necklaces of pearls worn by ladies of royal blood.⁷ The *Rāmacarita* (III. 33-34) mentions “jewelled anklet-bells,” “charming ornaments set with diamonds, lapis lazuli, pearls, emeralds, rubies and sapphires,” and “necklaces with central gems and pure pearls of round and big shape.” The *Tabaqāt-i-Nāsirī* casually alludes to the use of “golden and silver dishes” in the place of Lakshmaṇasena.⁸