Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c39.s5.6

v2.c39.s5.6

Silver or rajata was scarcely mentioned in the Ṛgveda; probably it was not easily available around the Sarasvatī Valley. Eventually we find many references of silver, occasionally substituting gold in ruksma and niṣka. Silver was used in making ornaments like rukma (Ś. Brā., 12.8.3.11), preparing vessels or pātra (Tait. Brā., 2.2.9.7, 3.9.6.5), and molding coins or niṣka (Pam. Vi. Brā., 17.1.14).