History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c17.s3.t4.19

v1.c17.s3.t4.19

Limited space does not permit us to discuss the huge variety of gem and non-gem minerals used in ancient India. Some idea regarding the enormity of the subject may be gleaned from the long list of post-Christian era Sanskritic words related to metals, gems and non-gem minerals (Biswas, A.K., 1991). We mention only a few non-gem minerals of commercial importance in ancient India: *adrija* (bitumen), *abhraka* (mica), *kajjali* (cinnabar), *karpūrarasa* (calomel), *kāṃksi* (alum), *kasisa* (green vitriol or ferrous sulphate), *kharpara* (zinc ore), *gandhaka* (sulphur), *gāndhāra* (red lead), *culikā lavaṇa* (sal ammoniac), *tankana* (borax), *tala* (orpiment), *tutthaka* (blue vitriol), *nilāñjana* (stibnite), *makaradhvaja* (mercuric sulphide), *manaḥśilā* (realgar) *mākṣika* (pyrite), *svarṇamākṣika* (chalcopyrite), *mṛddāraśṛṅga* (anglesite or litharge), *rasaka* (calamine), *rasakarpūra* (mercuric chloride), *rasasindura* (mercuric sulphide), *rasāñjana* (stibnite), *varāṭikā* (marine nodule), *vahnimṛttikā* (fire-clay), *vimalakā* (pyrite), *kāṃsya vimala* (arsenopyrite), *śilājatu* (bitumen), *sarjikā mṛttikā* (river-bed alkaline *reh*), *sasyaka* (blue vitriol), *sīsaja* (red lead), *suvarcikā* (borax), *srotāñjana* or *sohta* (carrollite), *haritāla* (orpiment, also löllingite?), *hiṅgula* (cinnabar) etc. ¹