History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c13.s2.t6.1

v1.c13.s2.t6.1

Tin, Mercury, Arsenic and Antimony have been known to the ancient Indians and they have been used either as alloying element or for some other purposes, but their existence and use as virgin metal is doubtful. These metals have played their role in the development of metals technology in their own way, such as the alloying of tin with copper has introduced the bronze age and mercury has been a prime media in the alchemical processes as well as preparation of Ayurvedic medicines. A short description of the knowledge of these metals is given below: