History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c13.s2.t11.4

v1.c13.s2.t11.4

*Cu-Zn Alloys* : The oldest brass artifact to be found is a cup in the possession of the Iranian king Derius’ dating back to 522 to 486 B.C. This cup had a colour like Gold but from it a foul smell used to arise. Fores (1964) has written that most probably this cup was made in India. The famous Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang has written that Indians knew the method of preparing brass from a mixture of copper and Calamine. As described by Beel,S., Hiuen Tsang has mentioned the use of brass castings and sheet metal work in India as early as 7th century A.D. and he has particularly described a brass ‘*vihar*’ (unfinished convent) at Nalanda during the period of Shiladitya (Harshvardhan) whose walls, doors and window-sill all were covered with brass. Ray (1956) has mentioned about brass technology to be imported from China but above evidences clearly indicate that brass was first made in India about 7th century B.C. if not earlier and most probably the technique of its production was carried by Hiuen Tsang to China.