Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c38.s2: Fire in Matallurgy

Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c38.s2

Language: English

Fire in Matallurgy

v2.c38.s2.1

It is evident that the transition from the neolithic to the chalcolithic age has been subtly depicted in the Rgveda. This transition was possible only through the discovery and use of fire. Generation of fire by friction (3.29.1), and its sustenance by the fire-wood (araṇi) and the fuel-wood (atas) have been described in the Rgveda (vide Appendix B — reference to agni, atas and araṇi).

v2.c38.s2.2

Agni or fire has been described as the cradle of (metallic) gems: ratnadhātamam (1.1.1). Here quite evidently, ratna or gem stands for metallic gems like gold and silver. These two metals and also copper have been known to exist in the native or metallic state. It is quite likely that man obtained these three metals in the chalcolithic age solely by melting the ore, using fire and some kind of furnace. At a later stage, copper ores (sulphide or oxide) were smelted or reduced to the metallic state by using fuel-wood or atas, the carbonaceous matter in it serving as the fuel as well as the reductant.

v2.c38.s2.3

The valuable ore body has been known in the Vedic literature as nidhi (RV, 2.24.6 etc.). Mining was known in elementary form. The mined product khanitrima (7.49.2) was obtained by using digging tool or khanitra (1.179.6). Grinding (1.28.4), using muṣala or pestle and ulukhala or mortar (1.28.1-6) was done before the ore-body was put into the furnace.

v2.c38.s2.4

We have indicated before the controversy as to whether kārmāra in 9.112.2 stands for stone-worker or blacksmith. May be there was no fine distinction between the two professions in the Rgvedic age. Kārmāra in RV, 10.72.2 was however clearly a metalsmith who blew in a furnace and made metal objects presumably by casting of molten metal. He is associated with the act of blowing (dhama) in a furnace in order to purify or prepare the metal (RV, 4.2.17, 10.72.2), and was therefore known as dhmātari or one who blows (5.9.5).

Linked texts (1)

Ṛgvedasaṃhitā — Sanskrit