Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v1.c9.10

v1.c9.10

The archaeological findings from the pre-Maurya, Maurya, Greek, Parthian, Scythian and Kuṣāṇa layers at Taxila (chapter 14) corroborate many aspects of the written history of India. These display the glory of ‘second urbanisation’ in India after the Harappan era. Amongst the diverse alloys of copper found in Taxila, most noteworthy is the brass vase assaying 34.34 per cent zinc which proves the earliest use of zinc as a separate metal in the ancient world. Equally noteworthy are the uses in Taxila of high-carbon steel, stone objects, beads and ornaments of noble metals, gems (like beryl), glass etc.