Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c18.s5.3

v1.c18.s5.3

Utensils were made of copper and its alloys such as bell-metal, (later) brass etc. The Harappan tradition of making vessels, which was apparently lost or latent in the Chalcolithic and Copper Hoard Cultures, was revived during the ‘second’ (Historical) phase of urbanisation in India. Suśruta, Yājñavalkya, Manu etc. mentioned about the religious and ceremonial use of utensils made of copper and its alloys, and also the various recipes for cleaning them. Megasthenes mentioned that “vessels of Indian copper, set with precious stones, contributed to the brilliancy of the public ceremonies during Chandragupta’s region”. One remarkable ancient copper *loṭā* was found in 1857 in the village of Kundla in the Kangra district, Punjab; there was an inscribed scene running round it which represents Prince Siddhartha going in a royal procession in a chariot. The *loṭā* has been variously dated as belonging to first century BC or third century AD. Caskets for preservation of relics used to be made of copper and its alloys.