Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c39.s3.3

v2.c39.s3.3

Monier-Williams (1899, 1986: 266) suggested that the word kastira was derived from the root kāns or to shine, and led to the Greek word kassiteros for tin and the modern word cassiterite, for tin ore. Many scholars on the other hand (such as Chakrabarti, 1979: 68-69) believe that kastira was derived from the Greek word kassiteros. We subscribe to the latter view on account of two reasons. Firstly, the word kastira was used in the Indian literature during the period of Indo-Greek contact few centuries before the Christian era, not earlier and rarely later. Secondly, whereas the Indian word for brass has been traditionally pīta tāla or pitala, the other word which was used during the period of Indo-Greek contact, namely ārakūta (Kauṭilya’s Arthaśāstra) seemed to be a loan word from the Greek Oreichalcos.