Copper in Ancient India c10.s4.1

c10.s4.1

It has already been pointed out that in Europe Kunkel at the end of 17th century recognised brass as an alloy. In India, however, this fact must have been recognised as early as the 13th century as it has been mentioned as such in alchemical works of this century. Yasodhar, author of Rasaprakāsh-Sudhākar writes “*saurāstra*, brass and *vartalauha* are three alloys (*misralauha*).”¹ The author of Rasaratna-samuchchaya also says “bronze, brass and *varta* are the three *misralauha*.”² That brass came to be regarded as an alloy four centuries earlier than in Europe need not cause surprise as zinc itself was distilled, as shown before, several centuries earlier in India. Bhāvmisra the author of *Bhāvaprakāsha* (16th century) writes that brass is a semi-metal (*updhātu*) of zinc and copper,³ as it is derived from these two metals.