Iron in Ancient India c5.4

c5.4

Turning to the Laws of Manu² we find that the great Hindu lawgiver mentions the use of household utensils made of copper, iron, bronze, brass, tin and lead and enjoins their purification with ashes, acid water and water.¹ He also prescribes that a thief who would steal precious stones and metals like copper, silver, iron and bronze, would, as a penalty, eat for twelve days small grains of rice.² Manu in the seventh canto of his Institutes gives elaborate descriptions how a king should construct several kinds of forts and equip them with iron swords, engines of warfare, arrows, and bows.