Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c9.s23.1

c9.s23.1

The mineral wealth of India is noted by Megasthenes. There was much gold and silver, and copper and iron in no small quantity, and tin and other metals employed in making articles of use and ornament, as well as the implements and accoutrements of war.² His observations on ant-gold and river-gold have been noticed already. Ceylon (Taprobane), he said, was more productive of gold and large pearls than India. He gave a good account of pearl-fishing, and stated that each shoal of oysters had a leader, to capture whom was to get the whole group. ‘The fishermen allow the fleshy parts of such as they catch to rot away, and keep the bone, which forms the ornament; for the pearl in India is worth thrice its weight in refined gold.’