Dates of non-meteoric iron in India

[Michael Witzel]

See discussion by:

Chakrabarti, Dilip K. Iron in early Indian literature, Journal of the Royal
Asiatic Society 1979, 22-30  <<when I read that  long ago, I thought that
his interpretation of Vedic texts was partly wrong, but do not remember
details>>

----, The Early Use of Iron in India, Delhi : Oxford Univ. Press 1992

---,   Distribution of iron ores and the archaeological evidence of early
iron in India.  JOURNAL OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL HISTORY OF THE ORIENT
20:  166-84.

For the Vedic sources, see esp., the late W. Rau, under translation into
Engl. now:

Rau, W.,  Zur vedischen Altertumskunde, Akad. d. Wiss. Mainz, Abh. d.
Geist. u. Soz.wiss. Kl. 1983 No.1, Wiesbaden 1983
<general summary of his ved/arch. work, also on iron>

Rau, W., Metalle und Metallgera"te im vedischen Indien,  Akad. d. Wiss.
Mainz: Abh. d. Geist. u. Soz.wiss. Kl. 1973, No.8, Wiesbaden 1974, pp.
649-682

In general, the RV has only (non-gold/silver) "metal" (ayas) ; but from the
Atharvaeda onwards, we have zyaama ayas/ kRSNa ayas 'the black metal"=
iron, and therefore now also: lohita ayas 'the red  metal for
copper/bronze;   ...  see already Vedic Index.

Arch.s now believe that iron entered India from the hills of the Vindhyas,
not from Iran.
========================================================
Michael Witzel
Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University
2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA

ph. 1- 617-496 2990 (also messages)
home page:  http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm

Elect. Journ. of Vedic Studies:  http://www1.shore.net/~india/ejvs