Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c28.s4.1

v1.c28.s4.1

As we enter the Historical Period, we find plenty of literary references to the use of metals and alloys in the works of art, and these would be reviewed in several chapters of our Vol. II. Following the references to copper and tin in the Vedic literatures, we find specific mentioning of bronze or *kāmsya* in Pāṇini’s *Aṣṭādhyāyī*, and of brass or *ārakūṭa* in Kautilya’s *Arthaśāstra* (2.12.23). The latter prescribed alloying of gold and silver with copper, iron, tin, lead and antimony (2.12.24; 2.13.44-56) in specific proportions to make particular coins and ornaments. Specific recipes were suggested e.g., 2 parts of silver and 1 part of copper to make *tripūṭaka*. Later, bell-metal was prescribed to contain eight parts of copper and two parts of tin.