Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c44.1

v2.c44.1

So far, we have discussed the references to minerals and metals contained in the Vedic and post-Vedic literatures, and to the gems in the Indian gemmology texts known as Ratnaśāstra. It is surprising that Indians, who had known the uses of non-gem minerals and the manufacture of copper and iron from their respective compounds in the Pre-Historical period, wrote little about these materials. This may be explained in terms of gradual casteist division and compartmental isolation between the low caste metalsmiths and the high-caste philosopher-cum-writers.