Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c39.2

v2.c39.2

BEFORE pursuing our observations on the Vedic literature we wish to re-emphasize why a separate discussion on the Rgveda was undertaken in the previous chapter. The reason was that we had to be firm about the authorship and date of the Rgveda. The idea that the so-called Āryans came from outside, entered India around 1500 BC and composed the Rgveda around 1200 BC has to be abandoned once for all. This is the considered view of most of the modern scholars whom we have quoted in the previous chapter. (Dyson, 1982; Shaffer, 1984)