An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c21.s7.1

v1.c21.s7.1

So far neither in exploration nor in excavation has any furnace been found which can be said to have been used for smelting metal during the Chalcolithic period [4.14]. But copper 'bun' ingots have been found at the Harappa [4.9] site of LOTHAL and a number of copper and bronze objects have been recovered from excavations at all Harappa sites and many a Chalcolithic site. A number of these objects from sites in Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra have been subjected to detailed metallurgical analysis. AHAR² yielded within the strata of the Chalcolithic period copper objects along with slag [16.9.4]—a waste product of the coppersmelting industry. [For a Megalithic, 4.17.6, furnace see NAIKUND.] Analysis of the slag throws useful light on the ancient Indian copper-smelting and metal-working technology.