Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c41.s7.2

v2.c41.s7.2

The duties of suvarṇādhyakṣaḥ, the Superintendent of Gold were defined in section 2.13. He was supposed to establish industrial outfits and employ sauvarṇikas or goldsmiths, well-versed in the knowledge of not only gold and silver, but also of the alloying elements such as copper and iron and of gems which had to be set in the gold and silver wares (2.13.1-2 & 58-59). The Superintendent had to arrange security preventing smuggling, theft (2.13.30-36) and pilferage by the artisans. Various possible methods of pilferage were described (2.14.18-55).