Copper in Ancient India c12.7

c12.7

Then as regards *Rajputana*, copper mines still exist in large numbers and are worked by Indians according to old indigenous methods. Ball gives the names of the following states in which there are old mines some of them still working—“Alwar, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Udayapur, Bundi and Bikanir.” According to Mr. Hocket there are ancient copper mines in Daribo, Indawas, Bhangarh, Kusalgarh, Beghani, Pratabgarh, Tassing and Jasingpure in Alwar state. There are ancient copper mines in Singhānā in Jaipur State situated in rocks belonging to the Aravali Mountains and also in Khetri which work pyrites in primitive furnaces and according to traditional methods using iron slag as a flux. The existence of these old copper mines and old methods gives an insight into the past metallurgical operations as practised by ancient Indians in the matter of extraction of copper from its ores.