Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c24.s2.5

v1.c24.s2.5

India on the other hand knew zinc as a separate metal and was the pioneer in zinc and brass metallurgy. Philostratus of Lemons, around AD 230, mentions a shrine in Taxila in which ‘the various figures were portrayed in a mosaic of *orichalcum* (brass) silver, gold and oxidized copper, but the weapons in iron. (Schoff, 1912: 69) We may therefore ignore Pliny’s comment (34.17): ‘India has neither brass nor lead’. This statement signified his unawareness of the developments in India.