Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c37.7

v2.c37.7

Another fact that stands out is that the references to minerals and metals appeared much after the actual uses had already been made. This was partly because, as we have explained, the writers were primarily interested in subjects other than minerals and metals. Another reason, probably the major one, behind this time-lag was the rigid division of labour and casteism which discouraged fast diffusion of knowledge. The metal-smiths were low-caste people, debarred from studying the Vedas, and the Vedic scholars were often ignorant of metallurgy. The traditional scholars took some interest in astronomy, mathematics and geometry on account of their involvement with the rituals, which were not concerned with smelting, pottery-making, etc. The gap between metallurgy and scholasticism however narrowed somewhat in the Maurya and Gupta eras.