Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c10.s4.3

v1.c10.s4.3

Fragments of several crucibles, with traces of metals still adhering to them, have been found in Mehargarh III, confirming copper ore smelting. Thus it can be safely asserted that copper metallurgy was developed indigenously in the Indian sub-continent and well before 4000 BC. (Tal-i-Iblis Iran). The works of Ghosh (1964), Mughal (1970), Jarrige (1979-84) and Asthana (1985) have finally pulled down the curtain on the Irano-centric view that culture diffused from the west. As regards the raw materials, Mughal (1970:194) has shown that there had been sizeable copper ore deposits in the Zhob district, Robat, Shah Bellaul, Ziarat (Quetta) etc. for Mehargarhians to smelt. The initial phase of copper metallurgy at Mehargarh gradually spread to the different parts of Baluchistan and also to Mundigak etc. in Afghanistan, the latter site developing copper metallurgy still further (low grade bronze, adze, socketed axe etc.) and disseminating new techniques further west as well as back to Mehargarh (vide fig. 2.1).