Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c41.s6.2

v2.c41.s6.2

The text described a ‘liquid ore’ which seems to be a petroleum like bio-geogenetic material. This liquid ‘flows inside a hole, a cave, a table-land, dug-out mountain whose regions are known to contain gold ore’. This liquid is coloured yellow, viscous, clear and heavy and thrown in water, spreads on the surface like oil’ (2.12.2-3). The description agrees to that of petroleum of asphalt basis as found in the Punjab and Baluchistan. (Roy, 1946:113) A very similar material with stronger small and taste was known to be bitumen or śilājatu (2.12.4). These materials were erroneously believed to contain gold and mentioned as ‘metallic ores’ or dhātu.