3. Fire in Metallurgy

It is evident that the transition from the neolithic to the chalcolithic age has been subtly depicted in the Rgveda. This transition was possible only through the discovery and use of fire. Generation of fire by friction (3.29.1), and its sustenance by the in the fire-wood (arani) and the fuel wood (atas) have been described Rgveda (vide Appendix B reference to agni reference to agni, atas and arani Agni or fire has been described as the cradle of (metallic) gems: ratnadhatamam (1.1.1). Here quite evidently, ratna or gem stands for metallic gems like gold and silver. These two metals

II=5 and also copper have been known to exist in the native or metallic state. It is quite likely that Man obtained these three metals in the chalcolithic age solely by melting the ore, using fire and some kind of furnace. At a later stage, copper = ores (sulphide or oxd de) were smelted or reduced to the metallic state by using fuel wood or atas, the carbonaceous matter in it serving as the fuel as well as the reductant. The valuable ore body has been known in the Vedic literature as nidhi (Rigveda 2.24.6 etc.). Mining was known in elementary fom. The mined product khani trima (7.49.2) was obtained by using digging tool or khanitra (1.179.6). Grinding (1.28.4), using musala or pestle and ulukhala or mortar (1.28.1-6) was done before the ore-body was put into the furnace. We have indicated before the controversy as to whether Kamara in 9.112.2 stands for stone-worker or blacksmith. May be there was no fine distinction between the two professions in the Rgvedic age. Kamara in Rigveda 10.72.2 was however clearly a metalsmith who blew in a furnace and made metal objects presumably by casting of molten metal. He is associated with the act of blowing (dhama) in a furnace in order to purify or prepare the metal (Rigveda 4.2.17, 10.72.2), and was therefore known as dhmatar or one who blows (5.9.5). maneva dhamati sisine dhyatari satha brahmanaspatireta se karnara ivadhamat (5.9.5) (10.72.2)

II-6 The metallic gem thus obtained by the smelting or melting process was known as dravina (4.5.11, 4.23.4 etc.) and the smelter was known as the melter or dravi (6.3.4) also.