RV. asi - L. ensis < black (metal)?

[André Signoret]

Another reference to BLACK  appears in Gaulish IS-ARNO = IRON
Cf. River names "Isar" in Germany and "Isère" in France : both are
ferrugineous.
ARNO = BLACK Cf. River "Arno" in Italy.

Skt. AYAS- , lat. AES, Germ. EISEN and Gaul. IS must have first referred to
the notion of USEFUL METAL succeeding to the primitive acception of "SILEX,
tool of polished stone" (cf. Skt. ZILAA-). This primitive sense still
appears in modern Basque (H)AITZ "silex", in compounds like AIZTUR
"scissors", AIZKORA "axe", etc...

Conclusion : AYAS- has nothing in common with ZYAAMA or KRISHN'A (cf.
Russian "CERNYI") and is a genuine descendant from an I-E or perhaps
PRE-I-E, prehistoric  root meaning "HARD STONE".

I know this is contestable and almost unbelieveable but it must be said !
Perhaps prehistorical Dravidian, if any, have  had contacts with Basque !
Chi lo sa ? Alle Phantasien sind erlaubt, even elucubrations !!!