Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c43.2

v2.c43.2

The first millennium BC in Northern India started with the second phase of urbanisation, and during the middle of this period, the contacts with the South India, Aechemenid empire in Persia and Afghanistan resulted in exploitation of internal mineral resources, import of gem minerals and their processing. The previous chapters contain references to the gem minerals mentioned in the Vedic and post-Vedic literatures, Aṣṭādhyāyī, Kauṭilīya Arthaśāstra, the epics, the Buddhist and Jaina canonical texts, etc. Gemmology as a subject was however developed only in the post-Christian era.