History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c13.s2.t8.8

v1.c13.s2.t8.8

Antimony sulphate (Stibnite) has been known to the ancient people (4000 B.C.) as black colouring agent, or toiletary for colouring eye brows. It was also being used for the preparation of ‘*Surma*’ an Ayurvedic medicine used for the cure of eye diseases and also as toilet material. Sb₂S₃ readily gets oxidized to Sb₂O₃ at 290 to 500°C and on fast heating it volatilises at 650°C. It can be easily reduced by ‘C’ to produce Sb metal which is also known as ‘Star Metal’ owing to its structure. No mention of this metal has been made in ancient Indian literature nor artifact bearing this metal in recognizable quantity has been obtained during archaeological excavations. In the latter period this metal has been alloyed with lead etc. to develop bearing and typing alloys.