[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Science, technology and education](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science) › [Minerals and Metals in Ancient India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996) › v2.c33 # Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c33: Preface Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c33 - **Language:** English ### Preface ### [v2.c33.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.1) \*Minerals and Metals in Ancient India\* Volume I dealt with the archaeological evidences (foreigners' travel accounts also noted) showing the use of minerals and metals in ancient India, the period spanning from the Pre-Harappan era up to AD 1200. ### [v2.c33.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.2) This Volume II covers the period between the \*Ṛgveda\* and the early fourteenth century AD text \*Rasaratnasamuccaya\* dwelling on the indigenous literary evidences on the use of minerals and metals in ancient India, more particularly the relevant Sanskrit literature. ### [v2.c33.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.3) The archaeological evidences clearly prove that the ancient Indians were familiar with gems, non-gem minerals and metals, even before the Harappan era. The literary evidences however start with the \*Ṛgveda\* which, we believe, was contemporaneous with the Harappan civilization in the Sarasvati Valley. ### [v2.c33.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.4) After an introduction to the subject in chapter 1, this dissertation begins with the \*Ṛgvedic\* evidences of the ancient metallurgy in India (chapter 2). The post-Ṛgvedic literature (chapter 3) mentioned specific metals including iron, a few gems and non-gem minerals. Surprisingly however, the details of iron-making or the newly invented potteries such as PGW/NBPW are not found even in the later Vedic literatures; this is probably an effect of the casteist division in the society. ### [v2.c33.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.5) Pāṇini’s \*Aṣṭādhyāyī\* contains the etymological roots of many technical terms, evolved during the post-Vedic period, and refers to bellows, beryl and coins (chapter 4) which have been found during the archaeological excavations at Taxilā. Kautilīya \*Arthaśāstra\* describes the Mauryan political economy, the emergence of a large state, the increasing role of mines in the state economy, a large variety of gems constituting the elements of international trade and the diversity of alloys, coins and ornaments (chapter 5). ### [v2.c33.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.6) Chapter 6 in this volume examines the references to minerals and metals in the epic \*Mahābhārata\* which must have been compiled in the present form over several centuries. ### [v2.c33.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.7) A millennium of the \*Ratnaśāstra\* texts is the subject-matter of chapter 7, in which the large variety of gems mentioned in the Sanskrit texts have been discussed from the modern scientific standpoint. Similarly, the \*Rasaśāstra\* texts dealing with chemical and metallic transformations, which evolved over centuries, have been discussed in chapter 8. ### [v2.c33.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.8) Whereas \*Rasaśāstra\* or Indian alchemy indulged in an extravaganza of wild concepts such as conversion of base metals to gold, discovering a drug for immortality and so on, the subsequent literatures on iatrochemistry became more realistic. \*Rasaratnasamuccaya\* of the early fourteenth century AD period, is a pinnacle of Indian iatrochemistry and discussed in our penultimate chapter 9. ### [v2.c33.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.9) The last chapter summarises our findings; furthermore two specific topics are discussed therein. The problem of correlating the evidences in the Sanskrit literatures and the archaeological evidences has been critically examined. Secondly, we have made a brief presentation of the irrational as well as the rational or positive elements of philosophical thinking in India as revealed in the Sanskrit literatures related to minerals and metals. ### [v2.c33.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.10) Several appendices are presented at the end of this volume. The technical words appearing in the literature have been stratified: (A) modern scientific nomenclatures, then those belonging to, (B) \*Ṛgveda\* and post-\*Ṛgvedic\* period, (C) Pāṇini’s \*Aṣṭādhyāyī\*, (D) Kauṭilīya \*Arthaśāstra\*, and (E) post-Christian eras. The entire Sanskrit literature on minerals and metals has been scanned from a modern standpoint, and therefore, appendix ‘A’ fittingly provides scientific information on the minerals discussed in this thesis. Our studies on the subject up to AD 1200 (earlier Volume I and this Volume II) are being extended to cover the pre-modern period (AD 1200-1900) as well. ### [v2.c33.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.11) Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, 1995 ### [v2.c33.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33.12) Arun Kumar Biswas ## Cites (5) - [Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.niti.artha.kautilya) — Kauṭilya, Sanskrit - [Rasaratnasamuccaya](https://indike.org/pramana/in.med.rasa.samuccaya.pramukha.rasaratnasamuccaya) — Vāgbhaṭa (alchemist), Sanskrit - [Aṣṭādhyāyī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vedanga.vyakarana.astadhyayi-school.astadhyayi) — Pāṇini, Sanskrit - [Mahābhārata](https://indike.org/pramana/in.lit.mahabharata.vyasa) — Vyāsa, Sanskrit - [Ṛgvedasaṃhitā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.veda.samhita.rg) — Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.biswas-1996.v2.c33) · Pramāṇa