Archaemetallurgy in India

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Ancient metals and their manufacturing make a fascinating, as well as challenging subject of academic investigation. The overgrowing application of scientific knowledge and sophisticated analytical techniques in archaeological studies have opened newer perspectives on the understanding of ancient metals and metallurgy. The resultant inter-disciplinary subject of Archaeo - metallurgy adds new dimensions to archaeological research. It bridges the gap of Arts and Sciences. It is only through such an approach that one can make an authentic reconstruction of man's techno-cultural achievements through the ages. In India, the potentials and significance of such a line of inquiry has yet to be fully recognised. The Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University, hosted a Seminar in October, 1991 to take stock of the exiting knowledge of the subject and to initiate a meaningful dialogue among scholars of allied disciplines towards defining and 'identifying precise interdisciplinary nature of the subject. Archaeologists, Historians, Indologists and Metallurgists interacted on a wide range of thernes: metals in archaeological contexts, ethno-archaeological data, and socio-economic implications of the metals. This volume comprises of the papers presented in the Seminar. It is sincerely hoped that this venture will expand the boundaries, infuse a scientific temper and set new trend into archaeological studies.

Vibha Tripathi is Reader in the Department of Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology, Banaras Hindu University, where she is teaching and guiding research for over two decades. Her earlier books, Painted Grey Ware - An Iron Age Culture of Northern India (1976) and The Indus Terra cottas (co-author) (1994) are significant contributions to Indian Archaeology. She has published over thirty research papers in national and international journals and conference / proceedings. Her present research interest is centered around metals and metallurgy in ancient India. She organised the first National Seminar on Indian Archaeometallurgy in 1991 at Banaras Hindu University. The present volume is an outcome of the deliberations in that seminar. She was the theme organiser for Archaeometallurgy at the World Archaeological Congress-3 held at New Delhi in December, 1993, and was the convener of the second National Seminar on Indian Archaeometallurgy, held along with the Congress.

India had been at the fore fronts of metallurgical skills since time immemorial. The expertise is manifest in some of the famous reminiscences like the Delhi Iron Pillar, the Dhar Iron Pillar, the beams a Konark. Their mastery in the craft is well recognised now with the evidence of Zinc production as early as 3rd century B.C. while the rest of the world learnt the technique only a couple of centuries back. Our knowledge about these skills is still far from satisfactory. To understand the enigmatic issues involved - both Technological and Archaeological - in ancient Indian metallurgy, a National Seminar on Indian Archaeometallurgy was organised in the Deptt. of A.I.H.C. & Arch. in collaboration with the Deptt. of Metallurgical Engineering, I.T., BHU.
Banaras Hindu University has a pioneering tradition in multi-disciplinary studies. This spirit is imparted to it by its Founder Mahamana Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya Ji who believed in combining the wisdom of the ancient Indian Learning with the modern scientific advancements. This was the first such Seminar in the country on this subject. It aimed at bringing together experts from diverse fields like Indology, Archaeology, History, Ethnology and Metallurgy. For a worthwhile reconstruction of history of metals and metallurgy in India, a free flowing dialogue amongst the experts of these diverse disciplines is a pre-requisite. It was with this view that this seminar was organised.
We, at Banaras Hindu University are fortunate to have two well established departments both being leading institutes of its kinds in the country. If we join our expertise and resources, we are likely to be at the fore fronts of Archaeometallurgical researches which has yet to come of age in India. I compliment and congratulate Dr. V. Tripathi, Reader in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology who has taken a lead in this direction and for having produced this outstanding volume.

The archaeological community has to be beholden to the BHU, for organising this very wonderful seminar where ancient metal technology of India could be discussed from different angles - in a multidisciplinary perspective. Let’s admit that such seminars are few and far between in India and therefore this effort is all the more laudable.
The papers presented were not only on copper and iron but also on other metals. But technological aspects and archaeological significance of the findings received equal emphasis. The fact that ethnology may have much to explain and elucidate the ancient metallurgical practices was fully realised as is evident from the significant contributions on this aspect. India has a hoary literary tradition. We have to glean facts about archaeometallurgy from ancient literary sources too. I am happy to see important papers covering this much neglected aspect.
What is more encouraging is that younger scholars are taking equal, if not more, interest in these technical studies. There are a number of outstanding problems in this field and one can reconstruct the story of ancient metal technology of India only with the active interest and contributions of the younger generation.
In the field of copper technology we do not know which mineral sources were actually used. Some work has been done, including mine, on trace impurity patterns of ores and artefacts, but I must admit that its not enough. We need to carry out comparison of lead isotope ratios between artefacts and minerals to be able to locate actual mineral belts used by the different protohistoric cultures. We have the required mass spectrometers in India but there is still a gulf between the two cultures which does not allow the use of such technologies for archaeometallurgy. It needs to be emphasised that India today can boast to have the latest technologies in a number of fields which can be very profitably used for archaeological research. There is enough interest among the scientists but we have yet to evolve a common language between scientists and archaeologists so that all the latest technologies are harnessed for the sake of archaeology.
One much neglected area of study is the study of ancient mining technology. in Rajasthan there are a large number of ancient workings but they are still awaiting a systematic study. In contrast, for example, the Chinese have worked out elaborate details about the ancient mining technology in China.
The situation is worse as far as the iron technology is concerned. We know very little about the ores used, about the history of casting in India, history of carburization and so forth. We do need a centre where such studies could be carried out in an interdisciplinary environment. At BHU we have both-an excellent department of metallurgy and a reputed group of archaeologists. BHU could thus prove an excellent choice for such a centre to be nucleated. Unless we have such a centre we would not be able to unravel the history of ancient metal technology in India in all its dimensions. I was much impressed by the effort of the Chinese in this field. In a meeting I attended, there were 40 metallurgical groups represented. Naturally the amount of work they have been able to carry out in this field is simply staggering.
I wish such seminars are held more often and lead to closer collaboration between the scientists and the archaeologists which alone will usher into an era of an integrated yet multidisciplinary research in India. We have great hopes from the BHU group to lead us all in this much neglected field.