A History of Hindu Chemistry from the Earliest Times to the Middle of the Sixteenth Century A.D. v1.c14.1

v1.c14.1

In the Vedic Period gold and silver were not only known but were worked into ornaments of various descriptions. Gold was often called by the name "yellow" and silver by the name "white." The warriors of old were protected with coats of mail and helmets of metal. 'Loha' was a term applied to the metals in general though in later ages it came to stand for iron alone. In the Vedic literature iron proper seems to be designated by krishnāyas or the black metal and copper by lohitāyas or the red metal.¹