History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c12.68

c12.68

Copper and bronze were most frequently used for domestic utensils, axe-heads or celts, for daggers, knives, lance-heads, arrow-heads and sickles (Fig. 10). They were also used for statuettes, bangles finger-rings, ear-rings, and amulets, as well as for wires and rods Bronze was preferred to copper for making weapons and implements with extra sharp cutting edges (Figs 11-*a*, *b* : 12-*a*, *b*). It contained, as the analysis shows, a high percentage of tin (approximately 10 per cent) added either accidentally or deliberately Tin and copper ores, which are often found together, give rise directly to bronze on smelting. An alloy of copper and arsenic ( 3-4.5 % ) was also used in place of bronze. The presence of arsenic might have been accidental, but it increased the hardness of the metal It might have been derived from the use of arsenical copper ores. Indus Valley copper has been found to contain normally a little nickel (usually below 0 5 per cent and seldom exceeding 1 per cent).