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Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c38.s4: Some Metallic Objects

Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c38.s4

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Some Metallic Objects

v2.c38.s4.1

For agriculture, the Ṛgvedic people used plough which had various names e.g., *phāla* (4.57.8, 10.117.7), *lāṅgala* (4.57.4), *vṛka* (1.117.21, 8.22.6), *sirā* (4.57.5 & 8, 10.101.3-4). *Sītā* (the name of the heroine in *Rāmāyaṇa*) means the line or furrow tilled by the plough. The tip of the plough known as *phāla* or *śunā* (4.57.5 & 8) might have been made of sharpened stone during the neolithic age, but was metallic in the chalcolithic era. Sickles *dātra* (8.78.10) and *sṛṇi* (10.101.3) — were used for cutting the crops.

v2.c38.s4.2

Next to the ploughshare, the most important metallic tool in the hands of the Ṛgvedic people were the axe the chisel or the adze which were used to cut the forest trees and utilised as the carpenter's tool. We have earlier discussed that chisels or adzes, *vāsī* or *basulā* were stone-made in the neolithic age (10.101.10) and became metallic in the chalcolithic age (8.29.3). *Kṛti* was a chopper or cutter (1.92.10, 1.168.3), more like a sword, and eventually developed as a scissor. *Swadhiti* (2.39.7, 3.8.11) was a similar instrument. The name sounds similar to sword. *Bhurija* (4.2.14, 8.4.16, 9.71.5) was a carpenter's tool used in the making of chariots.

v2.c38.s4.3

*Kuliśa* (1.32.5) was the axe, the modern *kulhaḍe* or *kuṭhāra*. *Paraśu*, also a sharpened metallic axe, was an offensive weapon. The cow-plunderers ‘came to the east with big *paraśu*’ to attack the Ṛgvedic people (7.83.1). *Vadhara* and *heti* were also weapons, the details of which are not known.

v2.c38.s4.4

Several names were used to indicate an arrow: *iṣu, bāṇa, bunda, śaru, śarya, śaryā, saru* and *sāyaka*. Copper-tipped arrows were evidently not enough to kill the enemy, and therefore poisonous materials were used on the tips: *ālāktā ayomukham iṣu* (6.75.15). There were several kinds of javelins or spears to be thrown at the enemies: *sṛka* (*srja* means to let go or fly), *pavi* (10.180.2), *ṛṣṭi* (1.37.1, 1.64.4, 8.20.11 etc.). The action is clearly conveyed in the text *ṛṣṭiḥ asṛkṣata* (5.52.6). *Vajra* (1.32.2, 1.51.7, 6.23.4) was probably a spear or a barbed harpoon. The metal spike (*śūla*, 1.162.11) and the knife (*sūna*, 1.162.13) could be used either for offensive combats or in connection with cooking.

v2.c38.s4.5

Closer to the domestic scene, we find the uses of the razor (*kṣura*, 1.166.10, 10.142.4), needle (*vesī*, 7.18.17 and *sūcī*, 2.32.4), (some metallic) pitchers (*āhāva, kalaśa* and *kumbha*) and some musical instruments such as *āghāti* (1.146.2) or cymbal and *karkari* (2.43.3) or lute.

v2.c38.s4.6

Some of the copper implements actually found in the Sarasvatī Valley sites are: Kālībaṅgan — celt, hammer, bangle, arrow, fish-hook, axe, paraśu, mirror, pin. (Lal, 1979)

v2.c38.s4.7

Banawālī — arrowhead, bangle, spearhead, sickle blade, razor, chisel, ring, double spiralled and simple pin, ear/nose ring/fish-hook. (Bisht, 1982)

v2.c38.s4.8

The Sarasvatī Valley copper artefacts were not alloyed with tin, and therefore not as hard as those from Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.

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