History of Chemistry in Ancient and Medieval India, Incorporating the History of Hindu Chemistry by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray c12.s1.3

c12.s1.3

Copper was possibly smelted from ores near the mines, the metal being afterwards refined in clay crucibles. A fragment of such a crucible with the slag sticking to the edges has been found at the excavation at Mohenjo-daro. From an examination of the analytical results, given above, of specimens of various articles found at the Indus Valley sites, it may be concluded that the people at that time were acquainted with four distinct varieties of copper and its alloys: viz. (a) crude copper, (*b*) refined copper, (*c*) copper-tin alloy or bronze and (*d*) copper-arsenic and copper-arsenic-lead alloys.