Copper in Ancient India c10.6

c10.6

Brass coins of kings of several other dynasties living at that time have also been collected.¹ From these archaeological and numismatic evidence it is clear that brass was in common use in ancient India as early as the first century B.C. It was known in India probably a few centuries earlier as it is mentioned in the famous Aurvedic treatise Charak-Samhitā (circa third century B.C.) along with gold, silver, copper and tin.² The same medical treatise makes mention of brass in another place along with gold, silver, tin and bronze.³ The word in both the places is “riti” (रीति) probably derived from “harita” (हरित) or yellow, though the word “harita” was used in Vedic literature as a synonym for gold which is also yellow. The same word is found in Manu’s Institutes⁴ in which the lawgiver gives directions for the purification of utensils made of copper, iron, bronze, brass, tin and lead vessels with ashes, acid water and water. It therefore appears that brass was known in ancient India as early as the third century B.C and was certainly in general use in the first century before Christ.