Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c20.s2.3

v1.c20.s2.3

Since chalcolithic tradition preceded the iron age, the latter must have evolved from the efforts of copper-smiths. This generality need not be interpreted specifically to justify an early advent of iron in the chalcolithic Ahar. It is true that the Ahar slag contained 43-48 per cent iron oxide (and 35-38% silica) (Hegde, 1969), but this was most probably in the form of a silicate such as fayalite, which originated from the use of iron-containing chalcopyrite and silica as flux. Copper artefacts of Ahar contain 1-6 per cent iron which probably exists as slag inclusion rather than in the metallic state. Unfortunately, phase studies of these materials were not undertaken by Hegde, but we know that reduction of iron to the metallic state is possible from the oxide phases but not the silicate phases. Therefore, the examples of iron being accidentally produced in copper smelter (Ashenbrenner and Cooke, 1975) need not be indiscriminately invoked.