Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c24.s2.t2.8

v1.c24.s2.t2.8

Indians were acquainted with the making and uses of glass much before the Indo-Roman contacts. Pliny mentioned about the superiority of Indian glass (36.66) and the Indians’ expertise in “imitating various precious stones, beryls in particular, by colouring crystal”. There is a reference to the ancient Sanskrit play *Mṛcchakaṭika* or ‘little clay cart’ about ‘the dexterity of artists colouring crystals and producing imitation ornaments’.