Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c26.s2.1

v1.c26.s2.1

The earliest brass containing more than 28 per cent zinc, which could be made only after the isolation of pure zinc metal, came from Taxila. We have noted in our chapter 14 the overriding importance of the vase (BM 215-284) excavated from the Bhir Mound at Taxila and dated to the fourth century BC. This brass sample contains 34.34 per cent zinc, 4.25 Sn, 3.0 Pb, 1.77 Fe and 0.4 Nickel. This is very strong evidence for the availability of metallic zinc in the fourth century BC. (Craddock, 1981: 16-17) Most possibly India was the first to make this metal zinc (rasaka) by the distillation process as practised for the other metal mercury (rasa).