Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c28.s10.7

v1.c28.s10.7

The previous discussion seems to confirm our assertion that not more than four metallic elements were used in the ancient Indian icons in major and well-specified proportions. The references to specific alloys such as brass and bronze as ingredients indicate that the alloy scraps were being recycled into the composite melts before casting. Lo Bue (1981a: 33) submitted his considered opinion that the aṣṭa-dhātu represented “an imaginary formula for particularly auspicious combinations of metals based on numerical magic, this being not the only instance of the Indian alchemical fascination with magical numbers”. Majumdar (1926: 426) referred to the Indian traditions of not only aṣṭa-dhātu (eitght metals) but also pañcaloha (5), saptaloha (7) (imitation of the Persian haft-josh?) and navaloha (9).