Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c19.s5.t4.1

v1.c19.s5.t4.1

In all, twenty-two copper objects have been recovered from the different levels of Period III. It appears that the introduction of iron, which was the most suitable metal for arms and implements, drastically reduced the use of copper. Its use was now more specialised, it serving as the material chiefly for ornaments, toilet-goods, decorative objects, kitchen-utensils, and the like. More than half the items recovered were found in badly damaged conditions. However, these offered good evidence of the copper-smith’s craft. The fragment of a copper dish is particularly worth mentioning. The presence of fish-hooks show that the fish, bivalve, etc. formed part of the diet. Other copper items include rings, antimony rods, bangles, clamps, antimony rod-cum-nail parers, a pin and a celt. (Gaur, 1983: 230-32)