Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c24.s2.t2.4

v1.c24.s2.t2.4

Pliny described its occurrence (33.33-4) in silver mine as ‘a stone made of concrete froth’. Pliny and Dioscorides (5.99) agree regarding the mode of conversion of the ore into antimony Kohl for dilating the pupils and painting the eyebrows. “The ore was enclosed in dough or cow-dung, burned in a furnace, quenched with milk or wine, and beaten with rain-water in a mortar. This being decanted from time to time, the finest powder was allowed to settle, dried under linen, and divided into tablets”. (Quoted by Schoff, 1912: 192) This is a classic recipe of fine particle technology during the ancient times. Stibnite was also used as a medicine for eye irritations, and with grease as a cure for burns.