Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c28.s2.10

v1.c28.s2.10

*Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa* recommended the following pigments for statues and mural paintings: gold, silver, copper, mica, ultramarine, red lead, lead yellow, orpiment, lime, lac vermilion and indigo; the recommended use of astringent probably helped to fix the pigments on the substrate as tannin complexes. *Abhilāṣitārtha Cintāmaṇi* endorsed the use of pulverised gold, conch, cinnabar, lac juice, copper powder, orpiment and lamp black. Agrawal (1969-70: 112-13) summarised the analytical data for the Indian mineral paints, a gist of which is presented in Table 20.3. He also mentioned, on the basis of chemical analysis conducted, the use of additional pigments for wall paintings in ancient India: