Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c26.s5.3

v1.c26.s5.3

A more popular name for brass in the ancient India has been riti or ritikā which also meant calx of brass. The word was probably derived from harita or yellow which had been a synonym for gold in the Vedic literature. The word was chosen on account of the yellow colour of gold-like brass. Caraka Saṃhitā of third century BC refers to riti (Sūtrasthān, 5.26) and ritikā (Siddhisthān, 3.4) amongst other metals and alloys. The writings of Manu, Yājñavalkya and Patañjali of the pre-Christian era sometimes refer to bronze (kāṃsya) and brass (ritikā) almost synonymously.