Iron in Ancient India c4.20

c4.20

In the White Yajurveda occurs the following passage in which six metals have undoubtedly been mentioned, viz. 'hira-nya,' 'ayas,' 'shyām,' 'loha,' 'sīsa' and 'trapu.'⁴ On further enquiry I find that the same passage occurs in the Taittiriya Samhita⁵ and also in the Maitrāyanī Samhita,⁶ with this difference that in the last-named Samhitā the word 'loha' has been replaced by the word 'lohitāyas' or 'red metal' meaning evidently copper. There is no difference of opinion regarding the meaning of 'sīsa' and 'trapu' which mean lead and tin respectively, but commentators are hopelessly at variance in their interpretations of 'ayas,' 'shyām' and 'loha.'⁷ After reading these