Part 4 - Metal crafts of the Vārāṇasī region

Vārāṇasī, located in this region had the exposure to diversity of economic activities. The earliest archaeological layer of Rajghat (Vārāṇasīproper) has been recognised as 800 BCE. That belongs to the Chalcolithic phase of the geographical region of eastern Uttar Pradesh. At nearby Ᾱktha, two distinct ceramic wares BRW and BSW have been found. BRW potteries have been found in the context of pre-iron and early iron-using cultures. Both of them can be fit into the time frame of 1400/1300- 800/700 BCE. The painted BRW variety was a pre iron culture has been proposed to be a Chalcolithic culture and the unpainted BRW hoard was of the iron-using groups. On the basis of limited data it still can be inferred that two techno cultural streams ran parallel. The early iron using cultures matched well with the time of compilation of the later Vedic saṃhitas i.e. 1200-800 BCE, i.e. the earliest period of Vārāṇasī. In fact the discovery at a cemetery area of Ᾱktha, yielded pre-NBPW horizon was identified as the earliest occupational layer of the Vārāṇasī region also belonged to the later vedic period.^[1] Though found on a limited scale iron was reported from the period I of Vārāṇasī.

Occurrence of iron slags and small objects suggest local smelting and production of iron. In periods II and III down to 300 CE the iron smith’s craft became more sophisticated. The older objects continued and sometimes were more refined. New implements particularly for agricultural purposes appeared in the scene. Sickle and spade, chisels of different kinds, chain, nail, ring and staple, horse-shoe, blade fragments, door-bosses, knives were the everyday tools. While the iron implements on the one hand made various operations easier at the same time smithy became an important profession. Both archaeological and literary data showed that the iron industry was already in a flourished condition. The word kāmmara often found in the Buddhist literature referred to a blacksmith. Though had an early beginning since the Period I the blacksmith’s craft really had a boost by the time of NBPW indicated by sudden increase in the quantity of iron ores and slags and in a number of iron objects. The industry was already an organised one was proved by Kāmmara gāma, which was an exclusive blacksmith’s settlement, near Vārāṇasī, of a thousand Blacksmith families.^[2]

Bearing a strong Chalcolithic legacy copper smithy was a similar work type. Located in a Chalcolithic region Vārāṇasī was familiar with the usage of copper. Copper was abundantly available in the vicinity of Vārāṇasī. Being located in the geological zones of middle Gaṅgā plain and the Vindhyachal plateau copper was readily found at many sites of kumaun, Gahrwal, Pithoragarh, Almora or at even closer sites of Mirzapur, Banda, Allahabad, Gwalior districts. Exploitation and regular use of these sites started from Neolithic-Chalcolithic times.^[3] It was only very natural that a copper industry grew from a very early date. In fact, copper was one of the earliest metals known in India.

Copper-Bronze age immediately succeeded the Stone Age in India, much before the PGW phase. In the PGW phase when iron also made its appearance, both iron and copper continued to exist together. Copper was reported from various PGW sites and casting of three kinds was noticed-open casts, part moulds and lost process or cire perdue. The last one was an advanced technique meant for complex shapes. Being a difficult process it was unpopular in the ancient times. At Vārāṇasī, copper objects and a trace of copper crafting was confirmed in all the periods II, III and IV. In period II (200 BCE-beginning of the Christian era) objects made of both unalloyed copper of high purity and copper-tin alloy were found. Main copper items of this period were vessels, antimony rods, bangles, finger rings, borers, bowls of varying sizes and shapes. The same items with some changes in some cases appeared in large number in the next period. Though the number decreases in period IV, copper objects showed a greater workmanship and skill. So copper industry remained an important profession and was in a good demand.^[4] Chemical analysis of copper alloys showed that they were blend of a very high percentage of copper that ranged from 94 to 98% and 2 to 4.5% of impurities. Such impurities were sulphur, iron, nickel, cobalt, tin, arsenic and antimony. Sulphide ores which in most cases contain these impurities are primarily accountable for the copper alloys.^[5] But arts of casting forging, annealing were known to the coppersmiths.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

E.B. Cowell, The Jātaka or the Stories of the Buddha’s Former Births, vol.I,no.137, Babbu Jātaka, Translated by Robert Chalmers, Delhi, Motilal Banarasidass Pvt. Ltd., 1990,pp.294-96

[2]:

Vidula Jayaswal, Ancient Varanasi: An Archaeological Perspective (Excavations at Aktha), New Delhi, Aryan Books International, 2009, pp.59-60.

[3]:

E.B. Cowell-The Jātakas or the former births of the Buddha. No.387.

[4]:

Nyanjyot Lahiri, op.cit.1992, p. 221.

[5]:

B.P.Singh, Life in ancient Varanasi, op. cit. pp.217,18, 26, 27, 33,34.