The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c26.203

v1.c26.203

As to industries, it is curious that these early European observers should tax Indians with being backward in the scientific development of the resources of their country. They had, for instance, good mines of gold and silver, yet 'the Indians, inexperienced in the arts of mining and smelting, do not even know their own resources, but set about the business in too primitive a way'⁴. 'They do not pursue accurate knowledge in any line, except that of medicine; in the case of some arts, it is even accounted vicious to carry their study far, the art of war, for instance⁵.' On the other hand, Nearchus spoke of the cleverness of the Indian craftsmen. They saw sponges used for the first time by the Macedonians and immediately manufactured imitations of them with fine thread and wool, dyeing them to look the same. Other Greek articles, such as the scrapers and oil-flasks used by athletes they quickly learnt to make. For writing letters, they used some species of fine tissue closely woven. They also used only cast bronze, but not hammered, so that their vessels broke like earthenware, if they fell⁶.