Iron in Ancient India c6.s1.7

c6.s1.7

in diameter by a slightly greater height. All the urns had flat conical covers and contained skulls or bones of a skeleton accompanied with articles of pottery and of metals such as gold, bronze and iron. The gold ornaments were oval diadems which appear to have been fastened to the forehead of a corpse. The bronzes exhibit a high degree of skill in workmanship and used for ornamental purposes in the shape of vase stands, bowls, jars and cups. No stone implements of the palæolithic or næolithic age were found. The iron implements and arms were generally found outside the urns with their points downwards, showing that they were thrust into the earth by the attendant mourners. Many of the iron implements were deeply corroded, while others were fairly well-preserved. The swords were generally two feet or two feet four inches long and about two inches broad, the blades being all double-edged. They had a spike or an iron handle at the hilt which was attached to a wooden handle, the latter having decayed in most cases through age. A collection of these swords and daggers is shown in the annexed plate. In the plate Nos. 1, 2, 4, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 are daggers and the rest are swords. The daggers were generally eight to twelve inches long and one to one half inch broad. Besides these weapons numerous axes, spades, arrows, javelins, lances and iron lamps were also found, showing that iron was used in those remote times in making implements of every description. The nature of the iron has not been determined. Southern India was famous from remote times for its steel called "wootz," and it would not be a surprise if this very remarkable collection of ancient weapons and implements turns out on examination to be specimens of steel, though the chances are that these weapons were made of wrought iron.