History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c10.10

c10.10

The high percentage of nickel is rather significant and reminds one of the copper objects from Mesopotamia of Early Dynastic specimens as also of copper articles found at Mohenjo-daro and at Harappa as we shall discuss hereafter. The presence of nickel has been attested in the copper ores of Rajputana and Afghanistan But it is quite likely that the metal was derived from a local Baluchi ore, as ancient copper workings are alleged to exist in Baluchistan The lack of communication and the independent character of these early agricultural settlements of small size exclude the possibility of its being obtained from a distant source The comparatively very low percentage of arsenic in the metal also indicates a source different from that of the Harappan copper.